Deer disoriented in burning forests, lizards trapped by the speed of the flames… Wild animals will pay a very heavy price in the unprecedented fires hitting France, particularly in Gironde (southwest).
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It is still too early to assess the extent of the damage caused by these fires which have already destroyed more than 116,000 hectares nationwide since the start of the year, according to experts interviewed by AFP.
But the consequences promise to be “catastrophic” in the opinion of the Minister of Ecological Transition Monique Barbut, who says she anticipates “extremely significant losses” in wildlife on Monday.
AFP
In certain areas, like the commune of Porge devastated by the fire, “nothing can resist” in terms of biodiversity, confides to AFP Laurent Tillon, forestry engineer at the National Forestry Office (ONF). According to him, “the power and energy released are much too high”.
As is often the case during forest fires, wildlife is divided into two categories: those who are able to escape, and those trapped by the flames.
Trapped wildlife
Amphibians, insects, reptiles… very large varieties could not have time to escape in the face of the very rapid progression of the flames.
Among them are sometimes threatened animals such as the cultriped pelobate, an amphibian present around the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast, the ocellated lizard, one of the largest lizards in Europe remarkable for its bright colors, and the Etruscan pachyure, known to be the smallest mammal in the world, several experts told AFP.
Insects will also be strongly affected by fires, particularly in the larval state and for those that live in the wood with a cycle of several years, reports Grégoire Loïs, ornithologist at the National Museum of Natural History, in Paris.
AFP
Returns also promise to be difficult in the territory, around completely burned ground, particularly for passerines which feed on insects, he adds.
“The territory will find itself completely inhospitable next year,” with effects on the food chain, continues Mr. Loïs.
For marine animals, the ashes and the fallout of toxic molecules will prove very harmful, reports Céline Sissler-Bienvenu, an expert in animal protection and crisis management, to AFP, citing in particular the European pond turtle, a species of turtle already affected in 2022 by nearby fires.
Escape…and then
Many faster animals were able to take the lead and flee with the arrival of the flames, but they are not safe.
“A deer or stag is capable of crossing a two-meter barrier in one leap,” highlights Grégoire Loïs. Enough to put these panicked animals at risk, much more likely in this situation to collide with cars or trains.
Other risks of “secondary” mortality exist, linked to smoke intoxication, plastic particles released by fires and breathed in by birds, details Céline Sissler-Bienvenu, who goes to the town of Mezos (Landes) on Tuesday to assist firefighters in protecting animals.
The question of adaptation also arises for those who survive. “They will have to find a place among the territories which are occupied by others, with resources which are limited”, analyzes Grégoire Loïs.
The effects risk being “cumulative”, also says Mr. Loïs, with a new heat wave in France which risks causing wildlife to suffer.
The question of a possible reintroduction of wildlife will arise, but in a second step, said Minister Monique Barbut on Monday, stressing that “wild fauna needs a habitat”.
“Reintroducing wildlife when there are no more forests is a bit complicated. And so the idea first of all will be to ensure that we have the necessary habitats for the reintroduction of this fauna,” she said on Monday after a council of ministers meeting.
