Fireworks and Fauna: Friends or foes?

It’s Diwali! Delectable sweets are gifted in beautifully wrapped boxes, songs and dance are heard and seen everywhere, and the cheerful glow of diyas brightens the mood. Crackers spin, fizzle and sparkle on the ground while fireworks whistle and pop overhead in colourful explosions.

It’s Diwali… acrid smoke chokes the air and strangles the lungs of those close by. Painfully bright explosions roar in the sky above. Odd objects on the ground make scary noises and hurl sparks everywhere, scorching feathers and charring fur. Disoriented birds wobble through the sky and stumble on the trees. Dogs limp through ash-covered roads, with toxic lumps of bubbling, half lit fireworks scattered everywhere. Some animals choke and gag after ingesting these lumps, twitching and retching as the chemicals slowly kill them. Other creatures cower and flee before these unknown forces, scared out of their minds.

Let’s take a look at how fireworks and crackers do more harm than good to the environment and the fauna.

Fireworks generate a lot of noise and light once they have been lit - these thunderous booms and high-pitched whistles are unnatural and very loud, causing animals to panic and thus triggering their fight-or-flight response. In this case, since the animals cannot fight these fizzling, crackling explosions, they freeze up or start shivering out of fear. Animals are, obviously, not aware of the festivals and are not prepared for this sudden sensory assault.

In zoos, it has been shown that the noise generated by fireworks makes the animals very nervous, affecting rhinos, cheetahs, elephants and the like. Rodents have also been noted to be frantically running about minutes after the noise has ceased.

Another reason for the animals’ adverse reactions to the fireworks is their enhanced senses. Animals tend to have better vision and hearing than humans, and so the effect of the fireworks is amplified. Some fireworks can be as loud as 190 decibels, which is louder than gunshots (140 decibels) and even some jet planes (100 decibels).Damage to the human ear begins at around 80 decibels - both animals and humans could experience hearing damage or loss, potentially tinnitus, with the former experiencing more adverse effects.

Animals close to areas where fireworks are being lit suffer from the close proximity - aside from the excessive noise, the searing bright lights can very easily disorient animals and potentially damage their eyes. Birds often crash due to this disorientation, wounding themselves, and they may even end up nesting in dangerous spaces. Harsh burns are another possibility - this impacts the animal’s life by restricting movement, as the painful burn scars cause them agony at even the slightest twitch.

The fireworks aren’t safe after usage, either - residue from the fireworks is often seen at sites where cracker-bursting has taken place. Many commercially made fireworks and sparklers contain barium and other toxic chemicals, which weaken animals and could lead to a multitude of sicknesses, including heart problems. Smoke found after usage worsens existing respiratory conditions, and can cause a variety of other issues.

This Diwali, keep the well-being of pets and other animals in mind before bursting crackers and fireworks. Some steps you can take to make sure your pets are safe when crackers are being burst include making sure microchips are up to date in case your pet runs away out of fear, keeping them in quiet rooms, closing the curtains and simply not bursting crackers.

Festivals are fun, and a time for joy - but it should not come at the expense of an animal’s well-being. Let’s enjoy Diwali together, with the soft glow of a diya instead of the harsh light of an intense explosion.

CITATIONS

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https://southerncourier.co.za/236480/keep-your-pets-safe-from-fireworks/

“Four Ways Fourth of July Fireworks Can Harm Our Pets.” ASPCA, www.aspca.org/news/four-ways-fourth-july-fireworks-can-harm-our-pets.

https://www.aspca.org/news/four-ways-fourth-july-fireworks-can-harm-our-pets

Reporter, Staff. “Firecrackers Hurt Animals.” Guyana Chronicle, 1 Jan. 2021, guyanachronicle.com/2021/01/01/firecrackers-hurt-animals/#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20being%20poisonous,and%20damage%20to%20the%20eyes.

https://guyanachronicle.com/2021/01/01/firecrackers-hurt-animals/#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20being%20poisonous,and%20damage%20to%20the%20eyes.

Paras Singh / TNN / Updated: Oct 19, 2017. “Firecracker Ban: Animals Can Breathe Easy This Diwali: Delhi News - Times of India.” The Times of India, TOI, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/pet-peeve-animals-can-breathe-easy-this-diwali/articleshow/61138103.cms.

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Vanderberg, Madison. “How to Keep Your Pets Safe and Calm during Fireworks.” Insider, Insider, 6 July 2020, www.insider.com/keep-pets-safe-fireworks-2018-6.

nsider.com/keep-pets-safe-fireworks-2018-6#:~:text=Use%20a%20crate%20or%20keep,muffle%20the%20noise%20from%20outdoors.