Aussies warned over a 'deadly' Halloween tradition
Environmental experts say these popular decorations are a nightmare.
While excited Aussies prepare to celebrate all that is grim and macabre this Halloween, experts are urging residents to avoid one common tradition that can spell disaster for our wildlife and environment.
As homes are turned into haunted houses in preparation for trick or treaters, experts say the real horror is the use of fake synthetic spider webbing as outdoor décor, as it can be a death trap for birds and small mammals.
Countless animals at risk
Melbourne wildlife ecologist Dr Gráinne Cleary told Yahoo News Australia that Halloween coincided with fledgling season, when baby birds are leaving their nests for the first time to explore their environments. "This netting is made out of dense cotton, PVC and other artificial synthetic materials so it's quite strong and sticky," Dr Cleary said. "Plus, it can be almost invisible at night.
"In spring, we know lots of insects, invertebrates and birds are out and about, fledglings are leaving their nests for the first time and are exploring your front garden, your back garden," she explained. "If they accidentally walk or fly into it, they might not be strong enough to escape. It can get wrapped around their little legs and they can get stuck. It could even kill them."
Horror show for curious birds
Dr Cleary said the most vulnerable birds are wrens, thornbills and fantails, which are smaller and less able to fight their way out should they get stuck. "It's about considering who we share our gardens with; baby birds are out exploring this time of year and are trying to get a sense of ownership," she explained.
"Birds will be curious and explore and can accidentally ingest the webbing because they don't see it or they can fly into it and get it caught up in their legs."
Webbing used in nests
Dr Cleary said putting artificial webbing on the outside of your home, trees and bushes at Halloween was "completely novel" to birds who might try to use it to feather their nests, leading to babies getting stuck or injured. "This is something we have seen, in their nests sometimes weeks after Halloween. They are not accustomed to it," she cautioned.
"This is the bird parents making the wrong decision — but they don't know, they're just trying it out. Birds are vulnerable, we need to make it safe for them. We have enough great spider webs in our gardens anyway, this is Australia," she added.
Microplastics 'nightmare'
In a separate post on Reddit, one concerned Aussie said artificial cobwebs are a "microplastics nightmare that should be banned". "I've been spotting these around again being put up for Halloween," the author wrote. "Just thought I would get the word out that these cobwebs are made out of tiny plastic fibres that break apart and end up in our river system, contributing more tiny particles into our oceans, which ends up in the fish we eat."
Jeff Angel from the Total Environment Centre previously told Yahoo that as Halloween gains popularity in Australia — Roy Morgan Research reports that 5.3 million Aussies are expected to spend $490 million on the event this year — it's having a hampering efforts to reduce single-use plastics.
"It's just typical of the plastic marketing industry that we have seen grow over the decades to not give a jot of concern about the waste," Mr Angel said.
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