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How Extreme Heat Impacts Wildlife

In recent years, Wildlife Rescue has seen a noticeable change in the behaviour of wildlife species and reasons for admission to the Wildlife Hospital. Fluctuations in weather patterns, especially when it comes to extreme weather events like heat and fire weather, can result in wildlife having heat exhaustion, severe dehydration, birds leaving overheated nest boxes and rooftop nests prematurely, negative human-wildlife interactions, and increased rates of migration exhaustion. 

 

Heat Exhaustion and Dehydration 

For many birds and other wildlife species, heat waves can pose a significant risk of heat exhaustion and severe dehydration.  

Each summer, Wildlife Rescue receives more and more reports of heat-impacted wildlife, including young gulls leaving their rooftop nesting areas prematurely to bats ejecting from overheated colonies. These patients are often found on the ground with the following symptoms: 

• panting, 

• puffed up feathers, 

• sunken eyes from being dehydrated, 

• acting very lethargic/sleepy.  

One of the most recent overheated cases involved a bat who had tragically been found passed away and stuck to the pavement during a heat wave event. Another case involved a family of three Glaucous-winged Gull chicks who were found trapped in a metal gutter pipe who had all suffered major heat exhaustion. In all heat-related cases, dehydration is a major concern for the animal. 

 

Baby Birds Falling from Nests 

With increasingly hotter spring and summer seasons, some bird nestlings are prematurely jumping from their nest boxes to escape the intense heat, which can lead to severe injuries, dehydration, and exposure to predators at an age when they are defenseless.  

Fledgling birds, who spend time on the ground before they are fully flighted, may wander too far from their parents in search of shade and water, which can result in them becoming orphaned. 

 

Habitat Loss & Human–wildlife Conflicts 

As urban development in the Lower Mainland rises, wildlife habitats continue to diminish. Forests and green areas that provide birds and other animals with shade, shelter, and foraging grounds are becoming more challenging for wildlife to find, pushing them to move further into urbanized settings, and increasing their risk of anthropogenic problems. 

The displacement of this crucial environment creates more human-wildlife conflicts through window strikes, pet attacks, vehicle collisions, and unintentional human-wildlife encounters.  

Similarly, wildfires can destroy habitats and push animals into urban areas where they face these new, life-threatening dangers as well as heightened competition around food sources and shelter. 

 

Disrupted Migration Routes  

Heatwaves and wildfires can also disrupt migrating bird routes, leading to severe migration exhaustion. The hotter spring seasons can also lead to earlier migrations and nesting seasons, which can subsequently create further difficulties for affected animals. Wildfires can also force animals to deter from their usual migration routes pushing them into unfamiliar areas that can cause them more harm, especially in urbanized areas. 

In February 2024, Wildlife Rescue received a report of a gosling, a youngster we would normally not see until late March to early April. In fact, December 2023 was tied for one of the warmest on record in BC.  

 

How You Can Help 

During intense heat, it’s important to stay vigilant in helping protect our wildlife neighbours. Ensuring that you are regularly cleaning any bird feeders or baths is key to helping prevent the spread of diseases birds can easily pick up during temperature changes.  

Another way you can help wildlife through extreme heat events is by leaving out bird baths, planting native shrubs and plants in your yard, or by propping household items up to create shade, like a cardboard box.  

For more detailed information, you can find many other ways to help wildlife during extreme heat events here. 

It is also important to not intervene with birds unless necessary. If you are concerned for a bird or bat’s health and safety, please contact Wildlife Rescue here. 

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Posted in Education
Tags: baby birds, extreme weather, habitat-loss, heat, heatwave