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Wildlife - consider this a warning

The impact which traffic has on wildlife is plain to see on roads all over the country - foxes, badgers, otters, rabbits, hares and pine martins are among the innocent victims.

The lives of thousands of wild animals could be saved, however, if Irish motorists fitted a pair of simple plastic devices to their vehicles.

Another victim: thousands of foxes and other animals are killed on Irish roads every year.

The thumb-sized animal warning devices, currently being marketed by a firm in the UK, could drastically reduce the unnecessary carnage on our roads.

Easily fitted by adhesive pads to any vehicle (including motorbikes), the devices work by emitting ultra-sonic sound waves as air passes through them.

The sound is created at forward movement of 35mph or more and can be heard by wildlife (but not humans!) up to 400 yards away. And the faster the vehicle is travelling, the louder the sound becomes. The American manufacturers stress that the 60 decibels sound is not aimed at frightening the animals but to alert them that danger is on the way - "the warning should cause the animal to stop and look around, trying to find where the sound is coming from".

Priced £9.95 sterling plus 50p P&P, the animal warning devices are available from Anderson Speciality Products, Dept FI, PO Box 311, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3GG, England. Please mention Foxwatch Ireland when ordering.

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