In response to the aftermath of natural disasters in Chile, an animal shelter called Refugio Animal Cascada, located near Santiago, is providing refuge and rehabilitation for wildlife impacted by the events.

With a history spanning two decades, the shelter has recently seen an influx of new residents due to a series of wildfires, droughts, and heavy rains.

Reuters has reported that Chile’s central regions experienced severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and floods, leading to evacuations and further distress for the wildlife. Earlier this year, devastating wildfires ravaged Chilean forests, displacing numerous woodland animals and leaving destruction in their wake.

Activists responded by treating injuries, including burns, sustained by animals like the small nocturnal marsupials known as monitos del monte and pudus, the world’s smallest deer.

The escalating global environmental crisis, characterized by the loss of biodiversity and native wildlife, prompted Chilean Environment Minister Maisa Rojas to express concern during her visit to inaugurate a new unit at the shelter.

She emphasized the vulnerability of the country’s wildlife, stating that it is at risk.

The shelter’s primary objective is to rehabilitate these animals and ultimately release them back into their natural habitats.