University Of Sydney Estimates 500 Million Animals Lost Their Lives In Australia Bushfires

Jan 06, 2020 by apost team

Australia has been facing an unprecedented national crisis with bushfires devastating rural communities across the country. 

And as residents of the threatened communities are forced to abandon their homes, many animals are too feeling the effects of the deadly fires, with an estimated 500 million animals to have been effected so far. 

The Australian bushfires have been ravaging the southeast coast since December, and have so far displaced many from their homes. Fifteen people have been reported to have lost their lives with many more missing. 

According to news.com.au, The University of Sydney estimated that the fires have claimed the lives of over 500 million wild animals in the area. 

apost.com

On Friday, the University of Sydney’s Chris Dickman, who led the research, said that close to 500 million animals including birds, reptiles, and mammals are likely to have died in the Bushfires either as a direct result of the inferno or indirectly through loss of habitat.

“Prior research indicates that in severely burned areas the resulting lack of shelter, lack of food, and incursions by invasive predators -- red foxes and feral cats -- lead to further drastic but indirect reductions of animal numbers,” Dickman said, according to Bloomberg.

Researchers believe the koala population is likely to have taken the biggest hit as they move slow and exclusively eat the leaves of the eucalyptus tree, which are full of oil and thus very flammable. 

Federal Environmental Minister Sussan Ley told ABC Radio on Friday that an estimated 30% of the Australian koala population is likely to have died in the Bushfires. She then added that the actual number cannot be known until after the fires have calmed down. 

Our thoughts go out to the citizens of Australia who are fighting these horrible fires. Please make sure you pass this along to your friends and family.