What do wild animals do when there's a fire?

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I probably already know the answer to this question, but I'm asking in case someone knows better than me. With all these awful fires out west, what happens to all the animals who lived in those forests? Do they really all die, or do you think some of them escape the fire somehow? It doesn't sound like these fires could be "outrun"...or could they? I just can't stand the idea of these poor creatures out there, totally bewildered and scared to death while their whole world is incinerated around them. I hope to God their deaths are quick. Are the animal populations decimated for years & years after a disaster like this? Any words of reassurance will be greatly appreciated!

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), August 10, 2000

Answers

Some make it and unfortunately some don't Shannon. I once watched a herd of deer moving down the mountain and into the valley below when the mountain was on fire. I was too far away to see if small creatures were on the move too but I am assuming that those that have burrows in the earth would use them.

I am in the middle of a horrible electrical storm right now and I fear what the morning will bring. I am sure there will be new fires from it.

-- Marci (ajourend@libby.org), August 11, 2000.


They run, but they must be smarter than us. I saw a documentary about hunters in Montana on horseback. They awoke to animals running by their tents. Thy saw a huge ball of fire running toward them and they released the horses and jumped in the creek. The fire passed over them. It took them three days to walk out and when they reached safety they found game wardens had found their horses and the horses were safe also.

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), August 11, 2000.

Shannon:

Most of the areas where these fires are occuring are arid in nature, so there are not a lot of animals to begin with. Some (the fleet of foot or wing) will probably make it and some won't. However, once the area does receive rain again, regrowth will occur, allowing the population to build back up. It's part of nature's cycle, such as starvation or disease to reduce a population once it grows beyond it's ability to support itself.

-- Ken S. (scharabo@aol.com), August 11, 2000.


I imagine most of the animals make it out 'cause they're not wasting time loading up their trailers with all their stuff. :)

(:raig

-- Craig Miller (CMiller@ssd.com), August 11, 2000.


Shannon, most the animals start moving at the first wiff of smoke. Deer can travel fast and far. Many animals survive a fast burning fire by burrowing under roots and boulders, some even have the smarts or instinct to run through the wall of fire to where it is already burned instead of into heavy brush, a wise choice.

Fire is how our forests renew themselves. While we dwell on the horror of wildfires, the loss of timber, property and lives of the people fighting the fires, the roots of the vegetation survive. It does not take long for tender juicey browse and forage to feed all the critters when they come back.

We live in an everchanging world. Fire is a neccessary process for the health of our forests and grasslands. God gave the animals the instincts to cope with such changes to their environment.

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), August 12, 2000.



Shannon: I think there was some studies a while back that animals produce a chemical or something where they may not feel much when dying. I recieved a bad shock once and I can remember thinking, this isn't so bad! When I was pulled off the current they said my face looked in agony. Two women drowned and were revived said the same thing. Not to bad! I think of animals as so inocent and its horrible to think they suffer but maybe the universe takes care in ways we don't know....Kirk...

-- Kirk Davis (kirkay@yahoo.com), August 12, 2000.

Kirk: I hope you're right about that. I have thought this before, when seeing prey animals being eaten by predators. (You know, like when they show the chase scenes on National Geographic, where the lions get the baby wildebeest, etc.) It seems like they would be inclined to go into shock...perhaps so that that the predator doesn't have his victim struggling and flailing about for an undue amount of time(?)

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), August 12, 2000.

Shannon: Good point on shock. My cat dropped a bird at my feet today. It was unhurt but just lay there for 15 minutes before flying away. Shock maybe? Thoughtful thread ! Thanks...... Kirk

-- Kirk Davix (kirkay@yahoo.com), August 13, 2000.

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