Fireworks: dazzling for us, scary for wildlife

July 1, 2024

Fireworks are a beautiful way to celebrate, but the loud booms and bright flashes can be terrifying for wild animals. Here's how fireworks displays can impact wildlife and what you can do to help:

• Startled and stressed: Animals have much more sensitive hearing than us. The sudden loud noises can cause panic, disorientation, and even injuries. This disrupts their natural behaviors like feeding, breeding, and migration.

• Lost and abandoned: The commotion can scare birds from their nests, leaving chicks vulnerable or causing them to abandon their young altogether. Other animals might flee their usual habitat, becoming lost or injured.

• Beyond the noise: Fireworks debris can be a choking hazard or contain toxins if ingested. The chemicals used in fireworks can also pollute waterways, harming wildlife that drinks from them.

What you can do:

• Attend public firework displays over water, where wildlife is less likely to be present.

• If you set off fireworks yourself, do so in a safe, designated area away from wild habitats.

• Be mindful of the time. Wild animals are most active at dawn and dusk, so avoid fireworks displays during these times.

Let's celebrate responsibly and keep our wild neighbors safe. Thank you for being a friend to wildlife!