In July, Hurricane Beryl slammed Texas, causing millions of people to lose power, but that didn't stop local residents and organizations from rallying to save injured and distressed wildlife.
The nonprofit Houston Landing reported that the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) had accepted nearly 1,800 animals within a week after the storm, eclipsing the usual intake of 40 to 50 creatures per day.
Wildlife care specialist Jessica Urzua told the nonprofit that SPCA was inundated with calls and drop-offs after the storm caused widespread habitat destruction, knocking hundreds of baby birds from their nests and separating young animals from their mothers. Most of the creatures brought in were egrets and Mississippi kites, along with some baby squirrels and opossums.
"It was exhausting, but I thought we all handled it as well as we could," Urzua said. "We ended up having to send animals to some of our partners in the area, which was really helpful. There were so many coming in."
This isn't the first time Houston residents have come together to help wildlife after extreme weather events. In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey, volunteers worked to rescue Mexican free-tail bats that were at risk of drowning, according to CBS News. Southern Wildlife Rehab owner Michelle Camara explained that the bats eat as many as 6,000 bugs per night.
"Take that away, you're going to be in big trouble," she said.
Another side effect of extreme weather is the increased risk of human-animal conflict. Urbanization is one factor that has degraded the habitats of many creatures, and the destruction from storms can further stress ecosystems under duress.
"When you see flooding and high winds, that forces wildlife out of their home ranges," TPWD urban wildlife specialist Addison Gaines told Houston Landing. "We've been getting calls this summer of alligators showing up in odd places, like in retention ponds and lakes. Could be Beryl or it could be other storms we've had."
As temperatures have risen globally, intense storms have become more frequent. Unfortunately for Texas, it has been one of the states hit the hardest. In 2023, nearly 60% of the record number of billion-dollar disasters impacted the Lone Star State, according to NOAA data cited by the Texas Farm Bureau.
While deciding whether to rescue animals can be a complex topic, taking action when appropriate does make a difference — even if it's just picking up a phone. In Minnesota, for example, a call led to the rescue of four baby woodpeckers.
Gaines noted the importance of reaching out to professional rescuers before interacting with injured wildlife but highlighted the role humans can have in helping to heal the planet.
"Wildlife has, indeed, historically managed to go on without human intervention," Gaines told Houston Landing. "But also the environmental landscape has been so significantly altered by human activity. So, responsible intervention sometimes can be necessary and beneficial."
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