With all the water and air pollution we as a species have created on this planet, life has gotten considerably harder for the wildlife.
Regardless of whether you’re living in a condo or have a large backyard, there’s always something you can do to make things easier for the critters residing around your home.
A small bowl of fresh water on your windowsill during the hot summer days can make a huge difference for all the exhausted birds looking to catch a break, and a planter box can give them just the right amount of shade they need to beat the heat.
We’ve put together a list of some of the easier things you can do to give back to nature and protect the wide array of wildlife that’s thriving in your backyard.
Remember, we didn’t inherit this planet, we’re only keeping it safe for the time being.
Make a garden for butterflies
Being a testament to the notion that anything can turn into a thing of beauty with just a bit of patience, butterflies are truly one of nature’s greatest miracles.
Starting off as a caterpillar, they carefully navigate their surroundings, knowing that they’re riddled with hundreds of their natural enemies, and those that survive for long enough will eventually grow into the majestic flying creatures that flutter about like no other insect.
However, they also need food, and seeing as they feed on nectar and other plant secretions, the best thing you can do to nourish the butterfly population in your area is to plant a garden filled with the flowers that attract them.
Do some research on the plants that attract butterflies and carefully design your garden in a way that will make it both beautiful to look at and a home to the many butterfly species that will populate it.
Bat houses are the new bird houses
As wonderful as it is to hear the sound of chirping birds first thing in the morning, there are more than enough bird houses out there to give every one of these small creatures a home.
On the other hand, bats are often overlooked, and most people aren’t even aware how important they are to nature, as they’re also pollinators and even seed dispersers, as well as a great way to get rid of pests in your garden.
Unfortunately, due to habitat loss and severe pollution, many of them have had a hard time finding a forever home, and it’s your mission to change that.
On top of this, giving them a home outside makes sure they won’t be settling into your attic, and anyone who’s had a bat infestation knows how much of a struggle that can be.
Birdfeeders on the other hand…
While birdhouses are certainly fairly common out there, birdfeeders are not, and even where they are, they’re not refilled nearly as often as they should be, leaving these flying critters dead in the water when it comes to getting food.
Just a tiny bit of birdseed in the cold winter months can help entire flocks of birds make it to spring, when they’ll have plenty of food to go around.
You should make sure that if you start feeding the birds to keep it up for as long as you can, as making an abrupt stop will leave them hungry due to how dependent they may have become on the food you provided.
That being said, not all birdseed is good, and you should avoid the commercial brands, as they tend to mix in whatever seed is the most profitable, whereas dedicated farmers will provide you with the right blend for the species living in your area.
Avoid feeding mammals
Even if you do notice a deer, fawn, raccoon or other mammalian creatures in your garden, you’d do well to actually not feed them, as then you’re creating a food dependence that you may not be able to keep up.
If an animal becomes dependent on humans, it’s not uncommon for them to completely lose their desire to find and hunt their own food, which makes them much more vulnerable to starvation and harm at times when food is scarce.
On top of this, you should remember that not all humans are as loving of these creatures as you may be, and them losing their fear of humans could eventually backfire in the worst way possible if they encounter the wrong kind of people.
Final word
This planet is riddled with millions of different species of animals and insects, and doing our part in keeping them well-fed and safe is what we were meant to do from the very start.
Make a change in your environment that is normally hostile to wildlife and ensure that their safety is guaranteed, accumulating good karma for yourself and your loved ones.