From panting foxes to dung-smeared storks: How wildlife copes with extreme heat

Widespread suffering

Almost all animals suffer under high temperatures, seeking shade, water, and shifting activity to cooler hours. Inga Olfen of the German Wildlife Foundation notes that they try to use as little energy as possible.

“Almost all animals suffer from high temperatures. They seek cool places and water sources, try to use as little energy as possible, and shift activities to night or early morning.”

Species at risk

Amphibians and young birds are among the most vulnerable, dying quickly from drying ponds and overheated nests, says urban ecologist Dagmar Haase. Insects collapse as soils dry out and nectar disappears. Bats face overheating in attic roosts with few cool retreats, threatening their pest-control role. Moles are found weakened or dead when the ground hardens and earthworms, their main food, burrow deeper out of reach.

“Amphibians and young birds die fastest from drying water bodies and overheated nests.”

“Bats fulfill important ecosystem functions, such as pest control.”

“During prolonged heatwaves, weakened or dead moles are repeatedly found. They have problems when the ground becomes too dry and hard. Above all, earthworms go deeper into the earth – their main food source, which they then can no longer find.”

Cooling tricks from panting to dung

Without sweat glands, furred and feathered animals rely on other methods. Foxes and some birds pant; pigeons use gular fluttering, vibrating throat muscles to expose moist membranes to air. Dragonflies perform a handstand, pointing their abdomen skyward to reduce sun exposure. Storks take a more unusual approach: they smear their own droppings on their legs, using evaporation for cooling.

“A big difference to us humans: we humans sweat – with fur and feathers and without sweat glands that doesn't work. Foxes, but also some birds, pant instead to cool down. And pigeons gular flutter, so they vibrate their throat muscles to expose the moist mucous membranes to the air and release heat.”

Ecosystem and human risks

Competition for shrinking water sources can accelerate the spread of deadly viruses and parasites among urban wildlife, Haase warns, posing a secondary danger to humans beyond the heat itself. A decline in bat populations could have long-term effects on entire ecosystems.

“Crowding at remaining water bodies accelerates the spread of deadly viruses and parasites among wild animals in cities. That can ultimately become a danger to humans besides the heat itself.”