Wildlife affected by fires

Firefighters capturing snakes that were escaping from the wildfires.

MIRI: Humans are not the only ones suffering due to the wildfires raging all over the state now.

While they are affected by the pollution, the animals are losing their habitats due to the fires.

The fires raging in jungles in parts of Sarawak are destroying the forests and vegetation and displacing the wildlife population.

Mammals like monkeys, birds and reptiles like snakes and monitor lizards are losing their homes.

The animals are also encroaching into nearby settlements in their bid to escape the wildfires.

In Miri, firefighters help rescue these wildlife as well as capture them if they enter residential areas.

Miri Fire and Rescue Department chief Supt Law Poh Kiong said firefighters battling wildfires had their hands full with the animals as well.

“Our firefighters are trained to handle reptiles like snakes and monitor lizards.

“When the public alert us about these animals entering or seen near their houses, we capture and hand them over to the wildlife authorities,” he said.

In his latest updates, Supt Law posted pictures of Miri firemen catching snakes and monitor lizards that had escaped from the burning sites into residential areas.

He said they were working round the clock to douse wildfires in Miri, Kuala Baram and the Similajau National Park.

Many districts in Sarawak are seeing wildfires due to the hot and dry season.