5 Ways to Help Animals

Everyday Ways You Can Help Local Wildlife

You don't need to be a wildlife biologist, own acres of land, or spend your weekends rescuing animals to make a difference for wildlife. In fact, some of the most helpful things we can do happen right outside our own front doors.

Birds, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, lizards, butterflies, bees, and countless other species share our neighborhoods with us. As cities and communities continue to grow, the choices we make in our yards, homes, and everyday routines can either create new challenges for wildlife—or make life a little easier for them.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reminds us that everyone can play a role in helping native wildlife, whether you live in a house with a large yard, an apartment with a balcony, or simply have a window ledge. Here are five simple ways you can help.

1. Plant Something Native

One of the easiest ways to support local wildlife is also one of the most beautiful: plant native plants. Native flowers, shrubs, grasses, and trees provide food and shelter for the animals that naturally live in your area. They can provide nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies, seeds and berries for birds, and habitat for insects—which, in turn, become food for many other species. The National Wildlife Federation notes that native plants form the foundation of the natural food web.

And you don't need a huge garden. A few native plants in pots on a patio or balcony can still contribute to a healthier neighborhood for wildlife.

2. Give Wildlife a Safe Drink

California summers get hot, really hot — and wildlife needs water just like we do. A shallow birdbath or small water dish placed in a safe location can provide an important drinking and bathing spot for birds and other small animals. You can even create a simple water station for bees and other pollinators.

Just remember: keep it clean. Refresh the water regularly, scrub containers when needed, and avoid letting water sit long enough to become a breeding place for mosquitoes. Sometimes helping wildlife really can be as simple as putting out a clean bowl of water.

3. Make Your Windows Safer for Birds

Here's a surprising fact: More than one billion birds may die from building and window collisions each year in the United States. Birds often don't recognize glass as a solid barrier. Instead, they may see the reflection of trees or sky and believe they can continue flying straight through. The good news is that our homes can be made safer. Bird-safe window markings, screens, properly spaced decals or other visible patterns on the outside of problem windows can help birds recognize that something is there. Turning off unnecessary lights at night can also help migrating birds that may become disoriented by artificial light. A small change to a window could save a life.

4. Use Fewer Chemicals Outside

That bug in your garden may be annoying to you—but it may also be dinner for a bird, lizard, frog, or other animal. Insects are an important part of healthy ecosystems, and widespread use of pesticides and herbicides can affect far more than the pest we're trying to eliminate.

Before reaching for a chemical solution, consider whether there's a wildlife-friendly alternative. Native plants can also help because they're naturally suited to the local environment and can reduce the need for intensive lawn and garden maintenance. A perfectly manicured yard isn't always the best yard for wildlife. Sometimes a few leaves, native plants, flowers, and insects are signs that your little ecosystem is doing exactly what it should.

5. Remember: Wild Animals Belong in the Wild

One of the greatest ways we can respect wildlife is by allowing wild animals to stay wild.That means observing them from a safe distance, not attempting to touch or capture healthy animals, and resisting the temptation to turn a wild animal into a pet. If you discover an animal that appears injured or orphaned, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or appropriate wildlife agency rather than attempting to care for it yourself. And when you're enjoying nature, remember the simple rule:

Leave wildlife—and their homes—the way you found them.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference to Help Animals

Protecting wildlife isn't only the job of scientists, conservation organizations, or wildlife sanctuaries. It's something all of us can participate in. One small change can help animals - Plant one native flower. Make one window safer. Skip one unnecessary pesticide treatment. Put out fresh water. Teach a child to admire a wild animal without touching it. Small actions multiplied across thousands of homes and neighborhoods can create meaningful change.

At Animal Tracks, we have the privilege of caring for animals that cannot simply be returned to the wild. Many have stories connected to the exotic pet trade, inappropriate human ownership, or other circumstances that changed the course of their lives. Their stories remind us of something important: the best place for wildlife is in the wild whenever possible.

And protecting that wild world can begin much closer to home than we think.

Works Cited

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. “Helping Wildlife.” September 21, 2021.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Helping WildlifeNational Wildlife Federation. “Native Plant Habitats: Join the Movement.”

National Wildlife Federation — Native Plant Habitats

National Wildlife Federation. “Habitat Essentials.”

National Wildlife Federation — Habitat Essentials

National Audubon Society. “Bird-Friendly Buildings.”

Audubon — Bird-Friendly Buildings

National Audubon Society. “Window Strikes Are Even Deadlier for Birds Than We Thought.”

August 14, 2024.

Audubon — Window Strikes and Bird Mortality