Author Archives: East Sussex WRAS

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Rescuers rushed to the aid of two baby badgers after they were attacked by a dog on Sunday 14 April. East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) attended on site and found the two badgers at the field edge.

Rescuer Kathy Martyn had to be very patient in trying to coax them out. The frightened badgers were underweight, dehydrated and suffering from skin problems too. Local residents had reported the badgers wandering around chasing people walking in the field, until a dog slipped its lead and attacked them. » Read more

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Volunteers from a local Sussex animal charity have been nominated for a national animal welfare award.

The British Animal Honours 2013 is a brand new ITV event celebrating the achievements of the country's most extraordinary animals and the people who work with them. East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) has been nominated for the Local Animal Charity of the Year Award. » Read more

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Volunteer Rescuers from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS), were called out on the morning of 1 February after a badger became trapped in the bottom of a disused swimming pool.

This badger along with a second were originally spotted by the owners on Thursday, they placed a ladder and planks into the pool so the badger could attempt to climb out. Overnight one of the badgers managed to escape but one stayed behind, so WRAS was called to help the stranded badger. » Read more

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East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) is publishing a list of their top 10 suggestions for wildlife friendly New Year's Resolutions.

  1. To encourage wildlife in urban areas by cutting a hole in fences to help wildlife like hedgehogs to move around more easily.
  2. To stop the unnecessary hunting, killing and poisoning of wildlife, including and the use of snares, larsen traps to catch wildlife, as well as poisons like slug pellets, rodent poisons and pesticides and to use humane and nature alternatives to pest control. As well as ensuring bird netting and other pest control measures are routinely maintained and managed to prevent unnecessary deaths of wildlife.
  3. To reduce the number of wildlife becoming entangled in rubbish, litter, discarded netting, wire, by ensuring litter and rubbish is disposed of carefully and properly, like cutting up beer can rings, not dropping fast food waste in the streets, don't discard carrier bags, or use Chinese lanterns.
  4. To increase awareness of wildlife welfare in the community, school and colleges.
  5. To become a vegetarian or vegan to help reduce the threat to wildlife from farming and to improve the environment.
  6. To ban the use and storage of guns outside of licenced ranges or establishments.
  7. To keep hunter cats in at night to reduce down the impact cats have on wildlife.
  8. To encourage safer road usage by driving slower in rural areas and especially at night, but also improving new road and transport systems with crossing points like toad, badger, fox, squirrel and deer tunnels and over passes, wider grass verges so wildlife can be seen far in advance to reduce road casualties.
  9. o ban the import and export of all wildlife and prevent them from being kept as pets unnecessarily.
  10. To support your local wildlife rescue or hospital so they can continue to provide their vital service.

"I was asked before Christmas what my New Year's resolutions were going to be and at first I wasn't really sure, so I decided to put together a list of ideas to help people make a wildlife friendly New Year's Resolution with the help of our friends on Facebook" said Trevor Weeks MBE founder of East Sussex WRAS. » Read more

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100 hedgehogs are now going to be looked after by East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) over Christmas and the New Year, with number 100 being rescued last night in Eastbourne (19th December).

This is the highest number of hedgehogs the charity has ever had to overwinter at Christmas time before. Last year the charity only had 83 in care on Christmas Day. » Read more

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East Sussex WRAS founder Trevor Weeks MBE was nominated for and won the Animal Welfare Award in the BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey Community Heroes Awards at Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, on Thursday 13th December 2012.

Almost two months since receiving his MBE Trevor Weeks attended the prestigious awards after being nominated in the first ever Animal Welfare Award run by the BBC local radio. Virginia McKenna presented the Animal Welfare Award to Trevor towards the end of the evening. Virginia McKenna is best remembered for her 1966 role as Joy Adamson in the true-life film Born Free for which she received a nomination for a Golden Globe. Bill Travers, her real life husband, co-starred with her, portraying conservationist George Adamson, and the experience led them to become active supporters for wild animal rights and the protection of their natural habitat. Virginia McKenna appeared in An Elephant Called Slowly, a travelogue of what it was like years ago in Kenya. The film features her close friend conservationist George Adamson and also elephants Eleanor (brought up by conservationist Daphne Sheldrick) and young Pole Pole. The subsequent premature death of Pole Pole in London Zoo lead to Virginia McKenna and her husband launching the Zoo Check Campaign in 1984 and to establishing the "Born Free Foundation" in 1991. » Read more

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East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service have launched their "Become a hedgehog helper" Gift Experience!

"We have about 90 hedgehogs in care at the moment which is way more than normal, and they will cost up to £150 each to rescue, rehabilitate and eventually return to the wild in the spring," said Trevor Weeks MBE founder of East Sussex WRAS, "as our funds are low, we are hoping that this will help us to fund this vital work. These hedgehogs would not survive if it wasn’t for WRAS. Nationally there are not enough places for sick and injured wildlife to be cared for and we need to expand our work not cut it back, but that is what will happen if we can’t continue to bring enough money in." » Read more

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Christmas has come early this year for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife in East Sussex after members of the public have come to the aid of a cash strapped wildlife rescue charity.

Just over two weeks ago East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) had to launch an emergency appeal for help as the charity's funds have plummeted due to such a busy year help injured wildlife. As well as over £4,500 in donations being received since its appeal started, the charity has also launched a "Wish List" on Amazon which has led to numerous parcels full of gifts arriving at the Casualty Centre on a daily basis. » Read more