It is hard to be aware that an animal is living inside your chimney – that is, until you smell a bad odor coming from your fireplace. It is not common for wildlife to die inside chimneys, but it happens. Creatures such as raccoons and squirrels, for example, are known to be fond of living in chimneys. You may also find the remains of dead baby squirrels or raccoons abandoned by their mothers, causing them to die from hunger, exhaustion, and/or thirst.