Head warns wildlife toll could hit 2 billion
AUSTRALIA’s wildlife toll from the bushfire catastrophe could be as much as two billion, the head of Wildlife Victoria has warned.
Dr Megan Davidson said the full impact of the killer fires could continue for months and years as habitat and ecosystems disappear — even species that survive now could fail to recover.
Several endangered species could already be lost, she said, and feared for the future of many animals including the greater glider, Leadbeater’s possum, corroboree frog and even the grey-headed flying fox.
The foxes were “long-distance pollinators”, she said, and would play a key role in forest regeneration.
“Some other species were hanging on in small pockets before the fires started so who knows their fate.’’
The toll on smaller animals such as lizards, snakes and even insects was almost impossible to comprehend, she said.
“And what are bees going to eat,” she asked.
The Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning has set up a mobile animal clinic with Zoos Victoria and vets to assess and treat animals injured or displaced in the firegrounds. Dr Davidson does have one piece of simple advice for anyone wanting to help native wildlife.
“Take the nets off your fruit trees in the backyard. For the sake of a few pieces of fruit, you can help native animals survive,” she said.
Her warning comes as more tales emerge of wildlife rescues from the firegrounds. Goongerah wildlife carers Rena Gaborov and Joe Henderson fled their East Gippsland home and shelter with a baby wombat, three kangaroo joeys and an orphaned ringtail possum in their car.
“The kangaroos were sedated on the back seat of the car and the baby wombat was in another car, inside a jumper sleeve,” Ms Gaborov said.
They sought refuge at a relative’s house in Sarsfield, but had to flee again when fires loomed over that town too.