Devastating News: Half A Billion Animals Have Perished In Australian Bushfires

It's hard to share such devastating news.

It has been reported that nearly 500 million animals have perished since the start of the raging fires.

500 million. That's half a billion.

According to the University of Sydney, ecologists now estimate 480 million mammals, birds and reptiles have tragically been lost since September.

Entire species of plants and animals are endangered of being completely wiped out.

If you're unsure just how insanely large this fire really is, The Guardian has published an interactive map stating the scale of the fire is 1.5 times the size of Belgium, just to give some perspective.

We pray this horror ends soon without any more damage to the wildlife.

Story via NZHerald

Posted by AmyBrown

1

Via @deric_tv
Advertisement
2

Via @Andytwit123
3

Via @newscomauHQ
4
Sadly, the adorable and defenseless koalas have been the species to be hit the hardest, due to their slow moving nature. It is reported that up to 8000 (a third of the koala population) have been destroyed in less than four months.

Via AP
Advertisement
5
Koalas sit inside a home in Cudlee Creek, South Australia, after being rescued from fires at a garden.

Nature Conservation Council ecologist Mark Grahamtold parliament, "The fires have burned so hot and so fast that there has been significant mortality of animals in the trees, but there is such a big area now that is still on fire and still burning that we will probably never find the bodies."
"(Koalas) really have no capacity to move fast enough to get away" as the flames jumped from treetop to treetop, he said.

Via AP
6

Via @Reuters
7
Dr Kellie Leigh, Science for Wildlife executive director, told the hearing that there are no resources or plans in plce to help save the koalas.

"We're getting a lot of lessons out of this and it's just showing how unprepared we are," Dr Leigh said.
"There's no procedures or protocols in place — even wildlife carers don't have protocols for when they can go in after fire."

Via AP
Advertisement
8
Environment Minister Sussan Ley said true animal death figures would not be known until "the fires have calmed down and a proper assessment can be made".

Via AP
9
Please help Australia and the wildlife!

You can donate at MKC! Anything helps!

Via @missyjack