Chinese (or ‘Sky’) lanterns consist of a paper-covered wire or bamboo frame and an open flame heat source, which lifts the lantern into the air where it can float for miles from the point of release.
Lanterns pose a threat to animals, as they can cause severe burns, injury, suffering, and death, through:ingestion, entanglement and entrapment..
Landowners have called for a ban on Chinese lanterns in the UK, following cases of livestock injured or killed from eating lantern parts accidentally chopped into animal feed during harvest, or getting caught in wire frames that have landed in fields.Sharp parts can tear and puncture an animal’s throat or stomach causing internal bleeding or death.
Animals can become entangled in fallen lantern frames and suffer from injury and stress struggling to get free, or starve to death. Marine life is also endangered by lanterns falling into the sea.
Help us, and many other organisations including the Marine Conservation Society, Women’s Food and Farming Union (WFU), Soil Association and National Farmers Union (NFU).