Australia Fires Animals Lost
Nearly half a billion animals in Australias New South Wales state have been killed by raging wildfires in the last couple months and the devastating death toll is expected to rise.
Australia fires animals lost. Koalas Phascolarctos cinereus had already lost 30 percent of their population living in the eastern state of New South Wales perhaps 8000 animals to fires in late 2019. So much was lost and the impacts will be felt for years to come. Nearly half a billion animals have been impacted by the fires.
Join 17 Million Subscribers. Nearly 3 billion animals killed or displaced by Australia fires. The fires which started in September following prolonged drought and high temperatures have burned nearly 20 million acres so far killing 25 people and destroying thousands of homes.
First published on Mon 27 Jul 2020 2200 EDT. Professor Chris Dickman has revised his estimate of the number of animals killed in bushfires in NSW to more than 800 million animals with a national impact of more than one billion animals. Australia wildfires have destroyed nearly 800 homes in eight days and an expert estimates nearly a billion animals have died.
The National Museum of Australia notes that 120 people died in the Kinglake area alone and that the RSPCA estimated that up to one million wild and domesticated animals died in the disaster. Several weeks ago Professor Dickman from the University of Sydneys Faculty of Science estimated that 480 million animals would be killed by the fires. Up to 19 million hectares were burnt with 126 million hectares primarily forest and bushland.
Koalas have lost more than 30 of their key habitat in New South Wales and may have lost a third of their population in that region federal environment minister Sussan Ley told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Australias continuing bushfire crisis has taken an enormous toll on wildlife with huge numbers of mammals birds reptiles insects and other species killed. Some may go extinct.
Almost 3 billion koalas kangaroos and other animals are thought to have died or displaced in Australias summer bushfires according to an updated study. The breakdown is 143 million mammals 246 billion reptiles 180 million birds and 51 million frogs. Bushfires in Australia isnt a phenomenon thats entirely unheard of however the 201920 Australian bushfire season.