Adelaide Hills fires likely to have killed more than 1000 native animals
Volunteers and Environment Department are still counting the cost of the Adelaide Hills bushfires, but the native animal deaths are expected to reach four figures.
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Native animal casualties from December’s Adelaide Hills bushfires are likely to number “in the four figures”, the veterinary service leading the response to the crisis says.
Western grey kangaroos and koalas are among the species worst hit, SA Veterinary Emergency Management (SAVEM) co-ordinator Rachel Westcott said.
“We saw a few possums but a lot would have perished, we’ve seen dead snakes and lizards,” she said.
“The other problem is the habitat that’s gone as well.”
Dr Westcott said surviving animals were now moving into unburned pockets of the 25,000ha Adelaide Hills fireground, seeking greener areas to feed and take refuge.
“A lot of the large kangaroos have to be euthanased – their feet have just been burned off,” she said.
Data on the animals which had died in the fire, or been euthanised afterwards, was still being collated.
But Dr Westcott said the toll would be “definitely in the hundreds and quite likely four figures”.
Dr Westcott said native animals would move on to neighbouring properties seeking food and water, and encouraged locals to watch their behaviour and report any issues to the organisation.
Native Animal Network SA’s Ann Pashley has been looking after three kangaroo joeys and three possums, all affected by the fire, at her Littlehampton property.
She said the organisation had arranged for up to 40 kangaroos to be euthanased following the blaze.
“The longer the animals are left, the more they suffer and you get infections setting into their feet – it’s not a pretty sight,” Mrs Pashley says.
“It’s very emotional and it breaks your heart.”
Mrs Pashley said many people may not realise the effects of the fires on kangaroos if their fur did not appear burned – but the pads of their feet told a different story.
“Most of them have to be put to sleep because of the severity of their burns,” she said.
“Because of the intensity of the fire a lot of these animals have already been killed – the poor things didn’t have a chance.”
Mrs Pashley said the terrain around Woodside looked like “a moonscape”, but food drops were being made in the Hills in an attempt to help animals robbed of habitat.
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Cleland Wildlife Park director Chris Daniels said wildlife losses were still being determined but SA’s fires had impacted “a few hundred koalas” and other local wildlife including birds, lizards, insects and kangaroos.
“Tree-dwelling animals like possums and koalas, as well as hollow nesting birds and small terrestrial slow moving animals such as bandicoots and echidnas are likely to be mostly impacted by the habitat loss,” Prof Daniels said.
Cleland is looking after 12 koalas from the Cudlee Creek fire and expects to take in eight more in the coming days.
“(The Environment Department) will review wildlife and habitat impacts once the fires are out to determine what actions may be required,” Prof Daniels said.