Australia wildfires reportedly killed over 1 billion animals.
Last week there was an estimate of 480 million animals killed due to the wildfires. Now, according to a report by Huffington Post, more than 1 billion animals are believed dead in Australian wildfires. University of Sydney professor Chris Dickman told the news outlet the news stating the number of animals killed due to the Australian fires is around 1 billion.
The wildfires threatened Australia’s wildlife, which is known for rare animals and unique environments. The scale of damage is currently unknown because of a lack of access to the affected areas and because it is challenging to document animal deaths. But according to a New York Times reports, scientists believe the “devastation is immense.”
Dickman told Huffington Post, “The original figure ― the 480 million ― was based on mammals, birds, and reptiles for which we do have densities, and that figure now is a little bit out of date.” Dickman added, “Over a billion would be a very conservative figure.”
Researchers claim thousands of koalas and kangaroos have been killed on Kangaroo Island, which is located off the coast of South Australia. Currently, The New York Times reports, one-third of the island is destroyed. Scientists fear the island’s subspecies of cockatoos, which only had a population of 300 animals before the fire, is now extinct.
This news comes after 24 people are charged with arson.
“Investigations into the cause, origin and overall impact of fires are continuing and since the latest State of Emergency was declared…Strike Force Tronto has provided expertise to six police area commands and eight police districts,” NSW police said in a statement.
“As inquiries continue, police are appealing to the community to provide footage and/or images from phones, dashcam, or other devices, that show any of the fires in their infancy, even if only from a distance.”
Continue Reading:
- Using US map to examine scale of massive Australia wildfires
- WHAT CAUSED THE WILDFIRES IN AUSTRALIA? AMID WORST BLAZES FOR A DECADE, 24 PEOPLE ARE CHARGED WITH ARSON
- Australia strengthens bushfire defenses as economic, environmental costs mount
- On the front lines of fires in Australia as thousands flee l ABC News