Australian Fires Have Been Catastrophic For Animals

The Australian fires have had a devastating impact on the animals the continent is known so well for. The World Wildlife Fund reports:

Estimates suggest that more than 1 billion animals may have been killed directly or indirectly from the fires. This loss includes thousands of koalas and other iconic animals, such as kangaroos, wallabies, gliders, potoroos, cockatoos, and honeyeaters.

Many forests will take decades to recover and the crisis is potentially pushing some animals closer to the brink of extinction. 

The New York Times adds:

Even the animals that survived, scampering away or hunkering down, may die from dehydration or starvation, Professor Dixon added. “It’s a biological Armageddon rarely seen,” he said.

Wildlife in Australia was already under threat before these fires, as humans have changed the landscape. Agribusiness is among the top contributors to deforestation, which decimates wildlife populations, scientists say.

There are massive efforts to save what animals they can. But one rescue group says for everyone one koala found alive, 100 are dead.

Watch more above from Nine News Australia.