No species left behind: how Spain saved its animals from wildfire
Spain’s Wildlife Rescue: No Creature Left Behind During Devastating Wildfires
Goldlaner.com – As thousands of residents scrambled to escape the intensifying blazes consuming Spain, dedicated personnel at Safari Madrid found themselves with a different kind of urgency. The threat wasn’t limited to human populations—birds, reptiles, and massive felines all faced imminent peril as fire crept toward their sanctuary. Caretakers remained steadfast at their posts, guiding creatures into climate-controlled concrete shelters designed to withstand the encroaching flames. With skies transforming into shades of amber and heavy smoke clouds blanketing the landscape, teams sprayed water across surrounding terrain to create firebreaks and protect vulnerable inhabitants.
The catastrophic wildfires that devastated territory west of Madrid last week consumed approximately 131 square miles of landscape. Safari Madrid stood as one of several critical refuges in a coordinated regional campaign to rescue animals from farms and wildlife sanctuaries under threat from the relentless inferno.
Community-Wide Animal Evacuation Effort
In San Martin de Valdeiglesias, situated roughly 70 kilometers or 43 miles from the Spanish capital, local authorities transformed a traditional bullring into an emergency shelter. The converted arena housed horses, ponies, donkeys, goats, cats, and dogs, according to Mayor Aránzazu Povedano Fraguela. This creative solution demonstrated how communities adapted quickly to meet unexpected challenges.
The Spanish Civil Guard mobilized rapidly across the affected region. Their social media presence captured the spirit of their mission: “We leave no one behind, whatever the species.” Video footage documented their team members working at various farms throughout the area, evacuating horses and goats while providing comfort to cows and chickens. They also checked on ostriches, camels, and crocodiles, ensuring no animal was overlooked during the crisis.
They look so helpless and confused when we evacuate them, they just freeze completely. But they’re another member of the family and even more so in these circumstances.
Additional footage revealed Civil Guard personnel rescuing domestic pets, including cats and dogs, from threatened neighborhoods.
Safari Madrid’s Expanded Role
Within Safari Madrid’s boundaries, approximately 1,000 resident animals received protection alongside evacuees from the nearby Kuna Iberica wildlife center. This sanctuary specializes in rescuing injured and abandoned creatures. As fire conditions worsened, Safari Madrid became a temporary home for a Eurasian lynx and an Iberian wolf, both requiring anesthesia during transport, along with four vultures.
The evacuation plan was simply to take out everything we could, and everything we could get out, we would get out.
Isaac Navarro, director of Kuna Iberica, explained their approach. Some animals were relocated to Alfonso X El Sabio University, while birds of prey found refuge at another Madrid-based wildlife rescue organization.
I had never experienced a situation like this, we had never faced a fire like this, and the evacuation was done with all the haste, as best as we could.
Kuna Iberica staff opened enclosure gates for certain animals to roam temporarily before gathering them back for overnight care. Since these rescued creatures cannot survive independently in nature and rely entirely on human caretakers, they remained close to their facility and eagerly returned when conditions improved.
Close Calls and Recovery
Flames approached within 10 meters or 32 feet of Kuna Iberica’s facility, creating a tense situation, though Navarro confirmed all animals emerged unharmed. At Safari Madrid, fire eventually reached within 500 meters or 1,640 feet of the park before shifting direction.
Jose Luis Cano Becerro, a park spokesperson, described ongoing vigilance: “During the day, we examined the land that had been burned and put out a log that was still burning and could reignite.” Caretakers maintained watch for two consecutive nights, eventually feeling secure enough to rest on the second evening, though concern never fully dissipated.
While all animals survived, some experienced restlessness from extended confinement. Cano Becerro noted: “Some animals got a little agitated. We think it was because they had to stay inside for so long and couldn’t go out, which is not usual in their routine, especially the male Asian elephants who are adolescents and were a bit more restless, but nothing concerning.”
Navarro reflected on the broader impact: “In the end you’re left with the bitter feeling that the whole area, the whole region has been burned, but at least our animals are all safe.” All Kuna Iberica animals have since returned to their enclosures. Safari Madrid has also reopened to visitors, with animals back in their habitats, though lingering smoke and government warnings suggest continued vigilance remains necessary.
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