 Time is running out to rescue wildlife, pets and livestock fleeing wildfires and extreme heat in Greece, animal charities have warned. Some 7,400 acres of forest have burned down across the mainland and three Greek islands, claiming the lives of 'countless' mammals, reptiles and birds, according to Network for Animals. Four local shelters said they had taken in around 1,050 dogs, cats and farm animals between them, with one volunteer describing how she lost most of her pets in the fires. A leading Greek wildlife rescue group said it had treated 1,000 injured animals in the first two weeks in July but was now too overwhelmed to update its estimates. ANIMA, which has taken in dogs, tortoises, snakes and owls among other species, reported receiving 'hundreds' of calls every day from people across Greece finding birds unable to move from the ground. On Monday, firefighters were seen giving water to two rabbits with blackened fur found barely moving in Rhodes. 'In some of the affected forest areas, burnt tortoises have been observed, as the slow-moving reptiles simply couldn't outrun the flames,' said Céline Sissler-Bienvenu of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Specialist rescuers have been deployed to carry out daring rescues in situations too dangerous for the public (Picture: ANIMA) Thousands of animals have been displaced, injured or killed (Picture: Nikos Christofakis) A severely burned tortoise found in Attica last week (Picture: EPA) A young owl found this weekend in Crete, where extreme temperatures could spark the next wave of fires (Picture ANIMA) Other images too harrowing to publish include a fox lying dead on a track after suffering severe charring to its nose, eyes and ears. While animals in fire-stricken areas have suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, temperatures of up to 46℃ are forcing many species to injure themselves in order t){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Time is running out to rescue wildlife, pets and livestock fleeing wildfires and extreme heat in Greece, animal charities have warned.
Some 7,400 acres of forest have burned down across the mainland and three Greek islands, claiming the lives of ‘countless’ mammals, reptiles and birds, according to Network for Animals.
Four local shelters said they had taken in around 1,050 dogs, cats and farm animals between them, with one volunteer describing how she lost most of her pets in the fires.
A leading Greek wildlife rescue group said it had treated 1,000 injured animals in the first two weeks in July but was now too overwhelmed to update its estimates.