8 rules save lives

Children & animals in danger: using robotic mowers correctly

Hedgehogs do not flee in case of danger, but curl up. But they are not the only ones at risk from robotic lawnmowers.(Bild: Krone KREATIV; stock.adobe.com)

For some, they are practical, never-tiring helpers in the garden, for others they are a danger to life and limb: Robotic mowers are not as harmless as many people think. If used incorrectly, they can be dangerous to animals - and children too. Even when charging, children should not get too close to them.

Never start the lawnmower again and take it for a spin through the meadow yourself: more and more people see the purchase of a robotic lawnmower as a tempting opportunity to stroll across perfectly trimmed, permanently mulched and correspondingly bushy lawns without having to deal with them on a regular basis. However, with their rotating blades, the robots can pose a danger to children - an eleven-month-old baby was recently seriously injured - and small animals.

Biologists are even warning of a danger to our biodiversity: lawns are being turned into mass graves by the robots, according to one alarmed scientist. Krone+ reveals why this is the case - and how you can best minimize the risk to humans and animals in your own garden. After all, some models have serious safety flaws.