Canada wildlife rescuers save baby beaver, otters, and dozens more before fire destroys rehab center

A British Columbia wildlife rehabilitation center was overtaken by wildfire after rescuers spent roughly an hour evacuating nearly 30 animals from the property.

The facility was destroyed, but thankfully, every animal made it out alive.

Here's what to know

Just before the wildfire burned through the site near Summerland, British Columbia, staff at the Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society managed to move the 30 animals out of danger, according to Canada's National Observer.

The animals were then taken to a wildlife center in Kamloops, about 137 miles northeast, and later, founder Eva Hartmann told the outlet that the sanctuary itself was destroyed.

Ryan Cope, who volunteers for the wildlife center, told the Observer that "it was a bit of a Noah's Ark menagerie getting them out, and they really only had an hour to get out before the fire blew through the property."

Cope added to the Observer that the 30 evacuees "included bats, skunks, a porcupine, a baby beaver named Poppy, two otters, 14 water birds, and three turtles."

Evacuating that many animals is difficult under any circumstances, especially when each species has different housing, transport, and care needs. 

But getting each of them out in time meant that they could continue recovering elsewhere.

More background

Wildfire destruction reaches beyond homes and roads. It can also wipe out the places that step in to help animals survive emergencies.

The Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society cares for injured, orphaned, and vulnerable animals that could not fend for themselves, especially as fires approach. Moving the animals to Kamloops means the birds, mammals, and reptiles will still have access to food, shelter, and rehabilitation care instead of being left in the path of the blaze.

Wildlife centers often depend on deeply local networks of founders, volunteers, and partner organizations. So when one site is destroyed, it is not just an infrastructure loss, but also disrupts a community resource that helps protect nearby ecosystems and the animals living in them.

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