Urgent call to leave bowl of fresh water outside house this week

Scorching 32C temperatures are set to bake Britain this week as the hotly anticipated summer conditions finally arrive in earnest.

But amid the sweltering conditions, everyone in the country is being asked to do what they can to help protect wildlife that lives around us which can struggle in the hot weather.

Today temperatures are expected to hit 30C before spiking to 32C on Tuesday, then remaining high at 29C until cooler conditions finally arrive on Saturday with 24C, according to Met Office forecasts.

But that has led to a stark warning for households across the UK: leave out water for animals or they may die.

Anecdotal evidence across the UK includes reports of dead birds, ailing foxes and butterfly and insect numbers significantly down.

The whole food chain relies on healthy wildlife, and hedhegogs are already endangered, while bird populations have dropped significantly and insect populations are down 60 percent in 20 years.

UK residents are being called upon to help ease the crisis by ensuring there's a bowl of water outside their homes; it could be placed in gardens or even on driveways and should be topped up every few days.

Rain water collected from a water butt is fine, otherwise fresh water from the tap is ideal.

From foxes and hedgehogs to buzzing bees and even annoying wasps, every thirsty creature plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of our environment.

Reddit users are echoing this call to actionwith u/Emehen emphasising the importance of water for garden wildlife: "If you have a garden, try to leave a bowl of water out. Wildlife suffers from this heat as much as we do."

u/byjmini added: "Went and put some large saucers out after work yesterday once I saw this post. Didn't take long for the birds to take advantage."

u/Evening-Letter2278 warned that the bowls should be placed in an open area, to avoid birds being ambushed by cats: "Birds prefer their bowls and baths to be out in the open though, in case cats are lurking in bushes. Also, once one bird's been and knows there's somewhere to have a wash and a drink, they will unironically come back with their family, friends, or flock, so keep the bowls in the same place and the numbers build up."

For those eager to contribute further, The Wildlife Trust offers additional guidance for the environmentally conscious to take their dedication up a notch.

According to the Trust: "During hot summer weather, it is important to have plenty of water for animals and birds to drink and bathe in. But don't stop there! ".

They stressed: "It is also important to keep the water topped up during the chilly winter months as sources of water can become frozen and more difficult to find.

"If you install a bird bath, make sure it has gradual edges and is roughly textured. If you want to go the extra mile, hanging a drip jug above your bird bath will attract more birds as they hear the dripping water."

The Trust encourages even those with limited space to maintain a small, regularly replenished bowl of water, perhaps enhanced with stones or pebbles so that flies can see it.