Cape Town - The Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) remains on high alert following the devastating fires in Simon’s Town and Glencairn.
Throughout last week, massive fires broke out, destroying most of the fynbos as well as injuring most of the wild animals in the area.
SPCA spokesperson, Belinda Abraham, said that they had rescued and treated several wild animals suffering dehydration directly in the field.
“Others have been found severely injured with no hope of recovery and have had to be rushed to the closest veterinary practice for humane euthanasia.”
Abraham said: “We have been able to admit some patients to our short-term care wildlife facility for treatment and we hope to be able to release them again very soon.
“However, from the wild animals rescued there were also animals who were burnt to death as strong winds caused fires to rage on for days.
“One of those animals was a well-known tortoise, ‘Pat’, from the Scarborough community.
“The animal, described as an institution in the area, was found alive but severely burnt and beyond recovery and we had no other choice than to humanely end her suffering.”
“It is heartbreaking for our team to see the lifeless bodies of animals that didn’t make it. It is a huge loss for this unique habitat and our search and rescue efforts continue with urgency to find any surviving or injured animals,” Abraham said.
Ward councillor Simon Liell-Cock adds that tortoises have survived these fires but because of alien vegetation, fires tend to burn higher.
“The burning of the fynbos. It’s not a bad thing from an environmental point of view, but all of the animals in the national park, especially those near the road, take more of a beating from this fire,” Liell-Cock explained.
