Wildlife rescuers take on influx of animal patients in wake of wildfires: 'This is more than a wildlife rescue effort'

Recovery from the Los Angeles wildfires continues as people and cities move forward with cleanup and rebuilding.

One group making a significant difference is the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center based in Huntington Beach. Many wildlife and pet centers stepped up while the wildfires were ongoing earlier this year, and the center is aiding recovery by caring for rescued birds.

According to NBC Los Angeles, the WWCC transported many nests to its facility from areas affected by fires. It is currently caring for 44 patients, including 18 eggs. The WWCC is providing its avian patients with medical care and plenty of nurturing to ensure they not only survive but also thrive.

This is good news for the birds, nests, and eggs as well as the human residents in the area.

Cleanup crews will have an easier time digging through and clearing the ash and destruction left behind from the wildfires now that injured and at-risk birds have been removed, helping restoration and rebuilding move forward more quickly, as NBC Los Angeles reported.

In addition to benefiting fire-impacted communities, the WWCC's actions are saving a number of birds, which is good news for the environment.

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Once the WWCC has nursed its avian patients back to health, they can be released into the wild. Considering birds help keep forests healthy by spreading spores, they could help regrow plants in burned areas.

Birds are also beneficial to ecosystems and our communities, according to the National Audubon Society. They provide fertilizer through their droppings and a natural form of pest control by eating insects that might otherwise devour food crops.

"This is more than a wildlife rescue effort. It's about healing a community — both human and wild. We're proud to play a part in that," said Debbie McGuire, the executive director at the WWCC, per NBC Los Angeles.

Should the U.S. invest in building more wildlife overpasses?

Absolutely ✅