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Preparing for a hurricane -

It is no great secret that hurricanes are very disruptive. In the run-up to Helene and Milton, many residents of high-risk areas packed up their belongings and evacuated.

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Best option -

Indeed, when extreme weather strikes and your home is no longer safe, the best thing to do is relocate to a place of safety to wait out the storm.

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What about the animals? -

But what about all the animals who live in high-risk areas for hurricanes? How do the storms affect their routines, and are they able to keep themselves safe?

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Different species, different risk -

The first thing to note is that certain species are at a higher risk of harm during a hurricane than others. On land, it is often birds that suffer the most.

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In the case of birds -

Birds tend to be very light and have little protection on their bodies. This means that they are easily tossed around by strong winds.

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Habitats destroyed -

Birds often live in trees and rely on them for food. Since trees are often brought down by a hurricane, this can make it difficult for them to survive.

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Excessive harm -

The combination of these factors means that birds often suffer a disproportionate amount of harm during a hurricane, despite the fact they are sometimes able to detect it before the fact.

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Ray of hope -

Indeed, some birds are able to detect changes in barometric pressure and infrared radiation. This sometimes enables them to seek cover or migrate early.

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High-risk marine animals -

At sea, it is slow-moving fish and shellfish that find it most difficult to avoid harm during a hurricane. 

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Hurricane Andrew stats -

In 1992, for example, Hurricane Andrew was responsible for killing hundreds of millions of fish across the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana.

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Shallow sea beds -

Hurricanes are harmful to certain fish because they disrupt shallow sea beds. They cause the sand to move around, which in turn damages the animals that live there.

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The case of coral -

Coral in particular suffers a huge amount whenever there is a hurricane because it cannot do anything to change its location.

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Damage to coral reefs -

Indeed, coral reefs, despite being very sturdy and hardy under normal weather conditions, often suffer the most underwater damage during a hurricane.

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Burrowing animals -

On land, the animals that fare best during a hurricane are the ones that are able to burrow or hide away in the underbrush.

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Species that can thrive -

Raccoons and scavenger animals, for example, are often able to take advantage of the disrupted forest floor and find new food sources in the debris.

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Unexpected miracles -

There are also amazing stories of land-borne animals finding their fins during a hurricane and swimming their way to safety. 

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The cows of Cedar Island -

During Hurricane Dorian, for example, three cows were swept off their home on Cedar Island by the raging storm.

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Four-mile swim -

However, they were found on a neighboring island a month later munching on some grass as if nothing had happened. They had swum four miles (six kilometers) to safety during the storm.

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The safest marine animals -

At sea, the creatures who suffer the least harm are those who can detect changes in pressure, water temperature, salinity, and currents.

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Getting ahead of the storm -

When a hurricane is approaching the Florida coast, for example, marine animals such as dolphins, sharks, and sea turtles are often able to identify it and react before becoming stranded.

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Dolphins and whales -

In the case of dolphins and whales, scientists believe that they are able to detect the change in salinity that happens when an outer band brings in heavy freshwater rain.

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Waiting out the storm -

Since these mammals must come to the surface to breathe, they are more likely to swim away to an area with normal salinity levels to wait out the storm.

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Always an element of risk -

That's not to say that these animals never come to harm during a hurricane, of course. It’s just that the risk is considerably lower.

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The greatest threat -

Unfortunately, the greatest threat to wildlife during a hurricane is related to human activity, and often it occurs after the storm has passed.

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Debris -

Debris from housing and businesses can completely destroy the habitats of animals that live in the surrounding area.

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Toxic waste -

Furthermore, the toxic waste from facilities such as power plants and fertilizer factories can overflow into waterways during a storm.

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Long-lasting damage -

This can further damage animals’ habitats and in some cases, it takes weeks, if not months to clear up the mess.

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Reducing pollution -

Unfortunately, much of the damage caused by a hurricane is inevitable. However, by reducing pollution in general we can help reduce the risk of harm to wildlife.

Sources: (Environment America) (The Guardian)

See also: Tempestuous tracks about storms and hurricanes

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