Island birds, animals starting to peek their heads out post-Ian
People have started noticing a change in the air. It is not only the cold fronts that have started bringing lower temperatures and lower humidity, but the air is full of birds. Recovery from Hurricane Ian is starting to happen among wildlife, as it is doing to many of the human species.
Dr. Robin Bast, staff veterinarian at the Center for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (C.R.O.W.) Clinic since 2018, said most species of wildlife have built-in systems for protecting themselves and surviving large storms. She said this was an especially severe storm, so the impacts have been felt more than in some other storms. Flooded and contaminated food sources have been one aspect of this impact. Injuries from the storm and its aftermath is another.
“It is still early to make a complete assessment,” she said, “But we certainly have seen some impacts.” Successful recovery also depends on the species, with some having better “coping systems” than others.
Dr. Bast said many small mammals, such as rabbits, squirrels, opossums, and raccoons may have had difficulty soon after the storm finding adequate food sources, but many of those populations have recovered. New vegetation has started growing, flooded areas have dried, and traumatic events have lessened.
Early on, she noted, injuries and lack of food resources were very common. An animal weakened from these types of problems would not be able to move to drier ground or search for better food sources. This is still happening, but improving.
Tortoises, for instance, naturally know to seek higher ground, so the likelihood of their drowning is less, especially in areas that were not inundated by storm water for too long. For many reptiles, such as turtles, snakes, lizards and alligators, have been injured as they move to new areas in search of food, shelter or fresh water. They have tended to be hit by cars more often than normal, she said. This may have been, in part, due to darker conditions in many areas.
“We are seeing quite a few birds with old injuries,” Dr. Bast said. These are injuries that likely occurred during the storm, but were not serious enough to kill the bird. After some weeks, however, such injuries will make it harder and harder to find food. Infection can set in, as well, and as it gets worse, the bird becomes less and less able to care for itself.
Although the hurricane has caused a great deal of trouble for the local wildlife, weather conditions following the storm have helped bring about recovery much sooner than was the case after Hurricane Irma, five years ago. Red Tide has been an issue, but not to the extent it was in 2017 and 2018.
In another good-news observation, Dr. Bast said most people expected to see fewer birds returning to Southwest Florida after the hurricane, but in fact, the numbers of nesting shore birds has been good so far this fall. The bad news, however, is that their habitat is still in need of a great deal of repair and clean up.
Charlene Brown and Gina Thomsen are both volunteer wildlife rescuers who focus primarily on Boca Grande, Placida and Englewood. They are affiliated with Friends of the Pelicans, headquartered in St. Petersburg; the Wildlife Center of Southwest Florida, in Venice; and the Peace River Wildlife Center, in Punta Gorda. Both these volunteers have observed a number of toxic birds, suffering or killed by Red Tide, but also sickened by other kinds of chemicals.
These chemicals are usually carried by storm runoff into the water. They are primarily those used to kill rats or other pests. The volunteers also have seen issues resulting from debris that is still lodged among the mangroves that provide the primary nesting, breeding and feeding spots for many birds. Of course, fish and other sea creatures are impacted by these same chemicals and debris.
“If a bird is close to the shore or on the beach and seems to be acting funny, it is probably toxic,” said Brown. She explained that this is not a contagious condition, but one that needs quick action to save the bird. She said there are a couple of things anyone can do to help save such a bird’s life.
“Put a towel over the bird to calm it,” she advised. “Then move it away from the water. Put it in a small box or even a sand pail and take it to a wildlife center. If transporting it is not possible, call one of the wildlife centers and put the bird in a shady area where it can rest, out of the sun.” (The phone numbers are at the end of this article.)
She said this can apply to all types of water birds, from small sanderlings to large herons. She noted that the mangrove areas are an important shelter for many kinds of birds, but debris caught in the trees can cause serious problems for them.
“We are hoping to put together a clean-up day sometime in the near future,” she said. “We will need people with boats and kayaks and people who don’t mind getting wet.” No date has been set yet, but the volunteers hope it will be soon — after the first of the year — since the need to help the wildlife return to safer conditions is so great.
Thomsen pointed out that once nesting begins in the mangroves it will be difficult to work there without disturbing the birds and disrupting the growth process of the baby birds. She noted that it requires a delicate balance.
The volunteers have been working with Keep Charlotte Beautiful, an organization under the umbrella of Charlotte County, and an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. The group focuses on inspiring and educating people to take action every day to improve and beautify Charlotte County.
The volunteers said the various wildlife rescue centers have been getting a large number of rescue calls on Boca Grande and the surrounding areas, but following them up is difficult. All of them rely on volunteer help, which is hard to come by recently because of so many potential volunteers busy with their own storm repairs and related issues.
“Take a trash bag with you when you walk on the beach,” Brown suggested. “And pick up debris in or near the water. It will make a difference.” Old fishing line is a major problem for birds that live near the shore. It is so easy for them to get tangled in it, ultimately leading to the bird’s death, the two explained.
Boaters can help with this sort of thing, as well. When near the trestle or near the docks, boaters can watch for debris that can result in injury or death to birds. This should be considered part of responsible fishing, the volunteers said.
While birds may be among the most obvious creatures affected by Hurricane Ian, nothing escaped its impact. Tortoises were more threatened south of Boca Grande because flooding was worse there. Sea turtles had mostly finished their nesting season by the time the storm hit, but there has been some loss.
The volunteer rescuers said that everyone can play a part in protecting local wildlife. Carrying a bag with you as you walk in town or on the beach, and picking up trash you see as you go, is an excellent way to make a difference. If you are interested in being a rescuer or a transporter of sick or injured wildlife, check out these websites or call one of the following numbers for the closest wildlife centers. If you see a bird or animal in distress, call those same numbers and someone will advise you on next steps.
• Peace River Wildlife Center: (941) 637-3830 or prwildlife.org;
• The Wildlife Center of Southwest Florida: (941) 484-9657 or wildlifeswfl.org;
• Friends of the Pelicans: (941) 447-0773 or friends of the pelicans.org.
