Animals among the fire

The world watches in horror as fires continue to bring destruction to Southern California. The number of lost lives, homes, neighborhoods and more continues to rise. No matter how you slice it, this is a devastating and heartbreaking time for the Los Angeles area.

Not exempt from the chaos, Los Angeles wildlife has been forced to do what they can to survive.

What are some of the species affected, and how might they go about ensuring safety from the fire? Some examples include:

Mountain Lions

Cougars in the Los Angeles area are seeking refuge from the fires. A cougar and two cubs can be seen in this video, running down the street as they flee the flames. LA mountain lions are no strangers to wildfires. In 2018, the Woolsey fire in the Santa Monica Mountains burned nearly 100,000 acres, including half of the mountain lion’s habitat. 

Frogs

Frogs in Los Angeles are among some of the creatures these fires put at risk. Frogs such as the endangered Southern California mountain yellow legged frogs were threatened by wildfires even prior to this specific outbreak. Often, frogs will swim to the deepest part of the waters they inhabit in order to escape the harmful effects of a fire. 

Deer

Deer have been seen escaping the fires all around the Los Angeles area, as can been seen in videos like this. About 475,000 deer call California home, and mule Deer are a common sight in SoCal. Deer, bears, and other animals will often move around the fire until it dies down. 

Birds

Although they can fly above and away from the fires, for many reasons, wildfires can cause birds significant harm. Smoke inhalation can harm birds just as it can humans, except that birds can experience even more harm due to their ability to retain more particles from their breathing. Smoke can also dirty a bird’s feathering, causing them to ingest this pollution. 

Peacocks

Peacocks are among some of the wild animals that the nonprofit Pasadena Humane has brought in for rehabilitation. Peacocks, baby raccoons and others have been brought in for treatment, many of which are orphaned or suffer from smoke inhalation. 

There is still a lot to learn about how species respond to wildfires. We do know that animals and their habitats can be resilient. That being said, this is a scary time right now for the people and wildlife of the Los Angeles area. Our hearts go out to all those affected.