Day of the Animals

Scientists explain that ozone layer depletion increases UV radiation at elevations above 5,000 feet, amplifying wildlife stress and aggression. The phenomenon foreshadows the later outbreaks of hostile behavior among animals. In response, the government orders evacuation and quarantine for all settlements above that altitude.

A tour group sets off on a hike through the Northern California mountains under Buckner and Santee. The travelers include Mandy, Frank, Mrs. Goodwyn and her son John, Paul Jenson, Prof. MacGregor, Bob, Beth, Terry, and Roy. They have no means of communication with the outside world as they press on.

A wolf attacks the group’s camp, shocking the hikers and confirming the anomaly’s reach. The campers recover and decide to continue the trek despite the threat. The encounter foreshadows the broader danger ahead.

After the initial scare, Mandy and Frank Young are permitted to descend the mountain with a portion of the group. They begin moving toward lower elevations as the rest press on. The separation reduces the group size but keeps the search for safety ongoing.

Later, the hikers are beset by hawks, and Mandy is killed during the encounter. Frank survives the avian assault and continues moving toward safety with the group. The losses heighten the tension among the survivors.

Frank, traveling with the little girl he finds in the devastated region, comes upon an empty town abandoned during quarantine measures. He and the child press on together in search of help, navigating isolation and danger. They form a fragile bond born of mutual need.

The group's helicopter-dropped food cache has been raided by animals, draining their supplies. Facing dwindling resources, the hikers decide to abandon the mountain trek in favor of a lower-altitude route in search of help. The decision underscores the severity of the crisis.

At night, mountain lions strike near the campsite, creating chaos and fear. The group fights to defend themselves as danger intensifies. The event marks another brutal manifestation of the altitude-driven madness.

Jenson’s grip on the group deteriorates as he becomes abusive and violent, culminating in the murder of Bob. His attempted assault on Beth draws a lethal response from a charging bear that fatally mauls him. The survivors are left to flee and cope with the fallout.

Frank and the little girl reach the road and find an empty town and a broken car with a dead driver. He sacrifices himself in a futile bid to protect the girl, and dogs and venomous snakes later kill him in view of the child. The girl is left alone again in a dangerous world.

John, Mrs. Goodwyn, and Beth seek shelter inside an abandoned helicopter when wild dogs swarm the area. They fight off the attack and survive the onslaught, hoping for rescue. The helicopter becomes their temporary fortress against the external predators.

The remaining group reaches a town below the critical 5,000-foot line, only to find it deserted. A pack of German shepherds overruns the town and kills Roy and the professor. Buckner continues to shepherd the survivors toward a safer downstream route.

An army rescue helicopter finally arrives to secure the towns and recover the little girl, who has survived the ordeal. By this point the mad animals have died from the solar radiation that caused the madness. Buckner, Terry, and Santee are brought to safety as they float toward a ranger station.

After the survivors are rescued, Buckner, Terry, and Santee are saved and escorted to a Ranger station for safety. The film ends with a hawk lunging toward the screen as the credits begin, signaling ongoing danger in the world.