Important Advice from Palo Alto Animal Control
Let’s keep our local birds safe!
DON’T FORGET TO CUT THE STRAPS. Around the world there have been reports of birds that have been entangled in the straps of discarded facemasks, not unlike those old soda can rings. The latest advice from wildlife experts is to cut the ear straps of your disposable facemasks when you’re done with them to prevent an animal from harm. Even when properly disposing of your masks in the garbage, these lightweight masks can blow out of bins and garbage trucks and can find their way into the sewers and bodies of water, or birds can get entangled in the mask straps at a garbage dump.
This photo of a mask littered in the Palo Alto Baylands was taken by one of our own Palo Alto Open Space Rangers. Rangers report finding littered masks almost daily in nature preserves. Although there haven’t been any reports of entangled animals here in Palo Alto, it’s certainly something we prefer not to see. So please, take an extra second to cut the straps! #wildlife #covid19 #facemask #bird #PaloAlto
