Austin wildlife expert shares tips on how to help animals beat the heat
AUSTIN (KXAN)– While humans— and their pets — can escape to air-conditioned comfort, Central Texas’s extreme heat leaves wild animals vulnerable.
“It is nonstop in the summer,” said Jules Maron, executive director of Austin Wildlife Rescue. “Sometimes we come in the morning and [the phone has] 20 voicemails.”
The voicemails are left by residents worried about distressed wildlife. Maron said if the animal needs to be rescued, extreme heat makes the timing “very important” during summer months.
Species have evolved to beat extreme weather, but what can you do if you find the weather beating them?
“Put water nearby or put them into shade,” Maron said. “That’s the biggest thing.”
But she stressed not cooling down the animal too quickly.
“People could be tempted to throw ice out or douse with a water hose, but you could inadvertently drown an animal,” Maron said. “Provisioning a small dish is going to be the best thing.”
The water should be lukewarm or cool so that an animal’s body temperature isn’t dramatically shifted.
To move the animal into a shaded area, she said to use a broom or dust pan so disease isn’t spread through contact. Larger mammals could react to an attempt to help them, so contact an animal rescue service if either party is at risk of injury.
While you might be tempted, Maron doesn’t recommend feeding the animal. Hydration is the top priority.
“Keep shallow bowls further in the yard so there is [limited] interaction with the animals,” she said. “And put the water in shade, under a bush so it can stay cooler and prevent it from becoming too hot.”
Letting plants, like bushes and trees, grow scraggly in the summer can assist in providing more shaded spots for vulnerable wildlife.
Maron said the most common dehydrated animal Austin Wildlife Rescue sees is raccoons who “get stuck in garbage cans, dumpsters or other areas and then overheat.”
“We have received about 3 of these [cases] over the past two weeks,” Maron said.
She said young fledglings are also commonly found to be compromised by the heat.
Often located in parking lots with vast pavement, the baby birds have a hard time cooling off. However, if found, she recommends leaving the bird in a nearby, safe spot to be rescued by its parents. Only if there is no shade does Maron advise bringing the fledgling to an animal clinic.
Yet, if it’s unclear what is best for the animal, Maron advocates for calling a wildlife rescue service to assess individual circumstances.
For information on Austin Wildlife Rescue, visit their website here. Austin Wildlife Rescue is a walk-in facility.
