Temperatures across Oklahoma continue to soar this week as a heat dome causes sweltering conditions in much of the central U.S. While the indoors offer relief for humans, the state’s wildlife need help to survive the extreme heat.
Some animals are more at risk than others of suffering from the heat. Inger Giuffrida, executive director of wildlife rehabilitation organization WildCare Oklahoma, said animals already experiencing certain conditions are most threatened.
“Anything that's injured, ill, underweight; they're going to be at risk,” she said. “Baby birds are particularly at risk.”
But there are some simple actions to alleviate the strain on wildlife, she said.
Provide fresh water
Food sources are generally abundant in the summer, but surface water is more difficult to come by. Water bodies can be depleted during extreme heat as evaporation quickens.
Placing clean water around your backyard or neighborhood could be life-saving for wildlife. Experts say shallow bowls or buckets with sticks and pebbles for landing benefit local animals. Placing water and food either against a window or far enough away from it is crucial to avoid bird collisions.
“ The one thing that we ask people to do if they're willing is just to put out fresh water for not only wildlife, the birds and the raccoons and the deer or whatever that may visit their yard, but it also benefits things like butterflies,” Giuffrida said. “People don't think about that — they need water too.”
Taking time to change and clean the water bowls can also prevent the spread of disease.
Create or grow shelter for small animals
Native plants give wildlife important food sources. They can also provide shade during the sunniest times of the day, lowering extreme heat exposure.
Buying or building shelter, like a toad house, is another easy way to care for small backyard critters.
Avoiding pesticides, herbicides and rodenticides on your property is key to helping wildlife, Giuffrida said.
“These things are not only destructive to ecosystems, but they are eventually destructive to us,” she said. “We are part of the ecosystems, and when we poison insects, we're ultimately poisoning ourselves.
Give wildlife their space
At WildCare, Giuffrida said the phone rings about 300 times a day on average as residents and municipalities seek help with vulnerable wildlife. Knowing when to intervene is especially important during extreme heat.
“ If you see an animal panting in your yard, just leave it alone,” she said. “If you engage in chasing an animal that you think is injured or needs your help, you are causing it to potentially overheat, use up caloric resources, stressing it out.”
Still, visible injuries or human-caused harm are some reasons to seek help for neighborhood wildlife.
Keeping cats indoors is another way to prevent injuries or deaths in birds and other small animals. Researchers estimate free-roaming cats kill up to 4 billion birds and between 6.3 and 22.3 billion mammals each year.
Other year-round practices like keeping outdoor lights off at night protect wildlife and remove some stressors during heat waves.
As WildCare experiences a historically high intake, Giuffrida said residents trying to help wildlife during and after the heat wave should call the facility before showing up.
“Often, you're going to listen to a long message which may provide you with tips on what to do, but then if you leave a message, we will call you back,” she said.
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