Damon Mcknight
Australia's devastating bushfires of 2019-2020 killed or displaced nearly 3 billion animals, according to a report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The fires, which swept across every Australian state, destroyed habitats and took a terrible toll on wildlife, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs. The crisis has been described as one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history, with the Australian government identifying 113 animal species in urgent need of help following the fires.
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What You'll Learn
Mammals, reptiles, birds and frogs were among the casualties
The Australian bushfires of 2019-2020 were one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history, killing or displacing nearly 3 billion animals. The fires burned through at least 32,000 square miles (85,000 sq km) of Australian forest, an area comparable to England or the size of Ireland.
Mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs were among the casualties. An estimated 143 million mammals, including koalas, wallabies, possums, kangaroos, and wombats, were harmed. The fires also impacted the habitats of bird species, with 180 million birds affected. This includes cockatoos, as well as the iconic koala, which became the public face of the disaster.
Reptiles were among the worst affected, with 2.46 billion individuals harmed. This includes smaller species such as skinks, which can live in high densities. Frogs also suffered, with 51 million impacted by the fires and the loss of habitat.
The Australian government identified 113 animal species requiring urgent help after the fires, with nearly all losing at least 30% of their habitat. The WWF report highlights the need for better mapping and monitoring of plants and animals in at-risk areas and the development of strategies to protect these areas during fires.
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60,000 koalas were impacted
Australia's devastating bushfires of 2019-2020 impacted nearly 3 billion animals, including 60,000 koalas. The koala, already in trouble, suffered the effects of death, injury, trauma, smoke inhalation, heat stress, dehydration, loss of habitat, reduced food supply, increased predation risk, and conflict with other animals after fleeing to unburnt forests.
The World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF-Australia) reported that the bushfires impacted nearly 3 billion animals, including 143 million mammals, 2.46 billion reptiles, 180-181 million birds, and 51 million frogs. This figure is almost three times the earlier estimate of 1.25 billion animals impacted, which was based on a smaller region.
The bushfires in Australia during the summer of 2019-2020 had a devastating impact on the country's iconic koala bear population. It is estimated that over 60,000 koalas were affected by the fires, with some reports estimating the number to be over 61,000. The worst hit was Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where about 41,230 koalas were likely in the path of the fires that burned about half of the island.
The fires destroyed their habitats and caused injuries, trauma, smoke inhalation, heat stress, dehydration, reduced food supply, and increased predation risk. The koala population in New South Wales and Queensland was already in rapid decline before the fires, according to WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O'Gorman. The fires only exacerbated the situation, with koalas being listed as one of the 113 animal species requiring "urgent help" after the bushfires.
To address the decline, WWF has announced "Koalas Forever," an initiative to double the koala population in eastern Australia by 2050. This includes the use of seed-dispersing drones to create koala corridors and encouraging landowners to establish safe havens for the species.
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113 species needed urgent help
Australia's devastating bushfires of 2019-2020 killed or displaced nearly three billion animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs. The fires raged across every Australian state, destroying habitats and causing one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history.
In the aftermath of this crisis, 113 animal species were identified as needing urgent help. A government analysis found that these species had lost at least 30% of their habitat in the temperate forests and grasslands of Australia's south and east. The list included 13 bird species, 19 mammal species, 20 reptile species, 17 frog species, five invertebrate species, 22 spiny crayfish species, and 17 freshwater fish species.
Among those at the top of the list for urgent management intervention were the Kangaroo Island dunnart, the northern corroboree frog, the Blue Mountains water skink, and the Kangaroo Island glossy black cockatoo. The northern corroboree frog was critically endangered even before the bushfires, and experts believe that setting up captive colonies is now the best option for its survival.
The Australian government pledged $50 million towards wildlife and habitat recovery. However, environmentalists have called for stronger conservation laws and increased protection for native plants and animals. The government has acknowledged that more funding may be necessary and is conducting a review of its Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The bushfires and their aftermath have highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change and strengthening conservation efforts to protect Australia's unique and diverse wildlife.
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49 species not listed as threatened are now at risk
Australia's devastating bushfires of 2019-2020 killed or displaced nearly 3 billion animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs. The fires destroyed the habitats of an estimated 143 million mammals, 180 million birds, 51 million frogs, and 2.46-2.5 billion reptiles.
The bushfires also had a significant impact on threatened species, with more than 100 species losing over half of their habitat in fire zones. This included the endangered long-footed potoroo, the glossy black-cockatoo, the Blue Mountains water skink, the rufous scrub-bird, and three critically endangered turtles. The worst-affected mammal was the Kangaroo Island dunnart, an endangered mouse-like marsupial.
The Australian government identified 113 animal species that needed "urgent help" after the bushfires, with many losing at least 30% of their habitat. Koalas, wallabies, birds, fish, and frogs were among those requiring the most assistance.
Additionally, the fires highlighted the urgent need to examine the impact on wildlife not previously listed as threatened. A study found that 49 native species not currently listed as threatened could now be at risk. This includes 47 plants and one spider species that had at least 80% of their known range within fire-hit areas. The analysis underscores the bushfires' detrimental effect on the country's biodiversity and the pressing need to address the climate crisis and curb land clearing for agriculture and development.
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The fires were fuelled by climate change
Australia's devastating bushfires between 2019 and 2020 killed or displaced nearly three billion animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs. The fires were fuelled by climate change, which has led to hotter Australian conditions. The burning of coal, oil, and gas has driven up global temperatures, with southeast Australia experiencing a 15% decline in late autumn and early winter rainfall and a 25% decline in average rainfall in April and May since the mid-1990s.
Across Australia, average temperatures have increased, leading to more record-breaking hot weather. Extreme fire danger days have increased, with drought, dry fuels and soils, and heat exacerbating the risk of bushfires in parts of northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland. These factors have been aggravated by climate change, and the bushfire season is coming earlier and lasting longer.
Climate change has increased the risk of bushfires in New South Wales due to increases in fuel load, fuel dryness, fire weather, and lightning strikes. Vegetation growth is influenced by the global rise in carbon dioxide levels and changes in rainfall patterns caused by climate change. As a result, the landscape becomes drier, increasing the likelihood of bushfires.
Climate models have predicted that New South Wales will experience warmer and drier periods, leading to increased vegetation dryness and bushfire risk. Historical records show a significant increase in the frequency of dangerous fire weather conditions across New South Wales since 1973. Climate change projections indicate that severe fire weather will become more frequent, mainly in summer and spring.
The World Weather Attribution (WWA) initiative's analysis of the 2019/2020 bushfire season in South-Eastern Australia revealed that climate change increased the risk of intense fire weather by 30% compared to 1900. The combination of low rainfall and humidity, high temperatures, and wind speeds creates "high fire weather," increasing the risk of bushfires.
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Frequently asked questions
Nearly 3 billion animals were killed or displaced during the Australian bushfires that occurred between June 2019 and February 2020.
Mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs were among the affected animals.
It is estimated that over 60,000 koalas were impacted by the bushfires. Other impacted species include native rats, possums, bats, wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, and many more.
The bushfires occurred during Australia's hottest year on record, and the country already had one of the world's highest extinction rates due to invasive species, habitat clearing, and fragmentation. The scale and size of the fires were immense, burning through at least 32,000 square miles of Australian forest.
