In July, after Hurricane Beryl swept through parts of Texas, thousands of animals needed assistance, and Austin Wildlife Rescue was one organization that answered the call.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that the rehabilitation center brought in 76 baby birds orphaned or injured during the Category 1 hurricane, which left millions without electricity and caused an estimated $28 billion to $32 billion in total damages and economic losses, per AccuWeather.
Mississippi kites, cattle egrets, and yellow-crowned night herons were among the birds impacted by Beryl, which destroyed hundreds of nests in some neighborhoods and left other younglings waterlogged or stranded on concrete near roadways.
"I just cannot imagine how frightening that must be [for the birds] to be in a nest and then experience a very frightening storm, and now to be surrounded by dead bodies, literally, of their nesting community," Austin Wildlife Rescue executive director Jules Maron told the American-Statesman, explaining how terrified the birds appeared when brought to the center.
"It's just so important to remove them from that situation quickly and get them warmed up," Maron added. "They've experienced a physical and, I'm sure on some level, an emotional, traumatic event in their lives."
Caring for the birds hasn't come without its challenges.
As Maron noted, the rescue organization has been taking in more animals than usual, even though it's typical for there to be a higher need after storms — which have become more intense as the planet has warmed because of human activities, particularly the burning of dirty fuels.
As a result, the team doesn't have enough incubators for the birds, leading it to get creative to ensure they are comfortable. In part, it has taken advantage of the hot Texas weather to keep the birds warm on a screened-in porch.
According to Maron, as the creatures recover, their personalities are starting to shine. The yellow-crowned herons in particular aren't shy about expressing their needs.
"They were looking at me giving some side-eye about the bugs I was offering," Maron shared with the American-Statesman. "So I picked up some of the crawfish [the Angleton facility sent along with the herons], and they were like: 'Well, thank you very much. This is what we're going to need to continue to get.'"
Some of the rescued baby birds were slated to be released into the wild last month, and if all goes according to plan, more will follow in September as the organization looks to reunite the birds with experienced migration flocks.
Meanwhile, Austin Wildlife Rescue (@austinwildliferescue) is continuing to share heartwarming updates of its rescue operations on its Instagram account. Many community members have already taken action by donating to the rehabilitation center, but the American-Statesman reported the organization is still raising funds as part of an emergency campaign.
"Hurricane Beryl really took a toll on Houston and we are so lucky to be able to help our Texas neighbors with their huge influx of wildlife," the center wrote on Instagram in July. "A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to our fundraiser so far! We wouldn't be able to care for all these orphaned babies without all of your support."
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