Since 2006, 85% Of Grampians NP (Victoria) Has Burned; Wildlife Toll From Current Major Bushfire Growing
As fires headed toward her Grampians property in the Australian state of Victoria on Boxing Day, wildlife carer Pam Turner sheltered 20 joeys in her living room. The animals gathered inside – standing alert from the noise of the sprinklers – are all hand-reared by her after being orphaned through car accidents, fence hangings and shootings. They were too large to be evacuated, yet too young to fend for themselves.
“I just couldn’t have left them, so I was prepared to stay,” says Turner, who operates the Wildwood Wildlife Shelter in western Victoria, which specialises in kangaroos. So, as the Grampians blaze approached her home, she ushered them indoors. Roof sprinklers were going on all the buildings, as Turner prepared to hunker down with her mob. Luckily, the wind changed direction earlier, she said. “Which was fortunate for us, not so fortunate for those on the east side of the mountain. The Grampians national park, known as Gariwerd to traditional owners, has seen at least four major bushfires since 2006, affecting about 85% of its land, according to Forest Fire Management Victoria.
Kangaroos are sometimes fast enough to escape the flames, and more likely to survive than smaller, ground-dwelling species, Turner said. But they turn up traumatised and emaciated at shelters, with foot pads scorched by the hot earth. While the full extent of the damage from the fires isn’t yet known, Wildlife Victoria expects “catastrophic and long-term impacts” for wildlife, including substantial loss of life, burns, blindness, dehydration and starvation due to loss of habitat and food sources.
“Our wildlife are on the frontline of climate change. They don’t have anywhere to escape to from fires,” says its chief executive, Lisa Palma. “We desperately need more action on climate change, and more support for wildlife from governments to try to limit the damage being done to our precious native species before it’s too late.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/30/as-the-grampians-fires-approached-20-kangaroo-joeys-took-shelter-in-a-living-room-experts-say-others-arent-so-lucky