WHAT HAPPENS TO WILD ANIMALS AFTER A WILDFIRE?
iN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER A CHAPARRAL WILDFIRE IN THE SANTA MONICA
MOUNTAINS IN 2013, BOBCATS AND RABBITS DISAPPEARED WHILE COYOTES,
DEER AND SKUNKS WERE THRIVING.
RABBITS ARE A KEY FOOD STAPLE OF BOBCATS. WITH RABBITS GONE, SO
GO THEIR PREDATOR, THE BOBCAT. RABBITS ARE NOT EASILY MOBILE DURING
WILDFIRE, SO EVEN THOSE THAT DID NOT GET BURNED UP LIKELY FOUND LITTLE
TO EAT ON THE SCORCHED GROUND. ADDITIONALLY, BOBCATS LIKE DENSE COVER AND THAT LARGELY EVAPORATES AFTER A SCORCHING WILDLFIRE.
COYOTES ARE THE ULTIMATE "GENERALIST" EATER AND FIND ABUNDANAT RODENT
POPULATIONS SURFACING AFTER FIRES.
DEER DINE ON THE TIPS OF REGROWTH THAT OFTEN APPEAR ON SHRUBS AND GROUNDCOVER PLANTS AFTER FIRE.
A coyote captured by a camera as part of the National Park Service's Springs Fire Wildlife Project. A year after the fire, coyotes were showing up twice as often in burned areas as in non-burned areas.
NPS
NPS
A mule deer is captured by a camera as part of the National Park Service's Springs Fire Wildlife Project. A year after the fire, mule deer were almost as common in burned areas as in non-burned areas.
NPS
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