Most koalas in Noosa habitat predicted to be wiped out in fires

Queensland animal hospitals are stretched to the limit, with experts predicting most of the koalas in some vital habitats killed in recent destructive bushfires. WATCH THE HEARTBREAKING VIDEO.

ANIMAL RESCUE hospitals are bursting at the seams following another round of bushfires and prolonged drought conditions across Queensland, with experts predicting most of the koalas in some areas wiped out.

Koala Rescue Queensland Co-Founder Meghan Halverson said they were concerned about the large destruction of koala habitats from fire.

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“The ongoing problem is going to be trying to replace so much habitat that we’ve lost,” she said.

“The blacklock we have been able to go into its basically like an incinerator; the fires were so hot that very little has survived.

“We’re estimating most of the koalas that we did have in the Koala habitat (in Noosa) have not made it because the fire zone has gone through the canopy.”

A burnt koala who was rescued from the recent fires. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Ms Halverson said they were waiting on approval from fire services to access blacklock areas to rescue and assess the impact the fires have had on wild animals.

“We’ll be going in and tending to all kinds of wildlife in the area, not just koalas,” she said.

RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty said a large number of wild animals trapped in bushfire areas in Queensland this week have not made it out alive, but animal hospitals may see increased admissions from today due to a reprieve in severe fire conditions.

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Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Senior Vet Dr Micheal Pine said admissions have been much higher for the last two months, largely due to dry conditions across the state.

“The extended dry weather is really having a big impact on wildlife, and the fires on top of that are tragic and sadly a lot of animals die among that,” he said.

“The numbers we get into the hospital that are burnt are relatively small but there is a large number that are coming from those general areas because they’re struggling.

“Even if the fire doesn’t reach up into the crown of the tree the heat of it just destroys the leaves. I don’t remember ever seeing koalas coming into the hospital just due to dehydration and emaciation, there’s nothing else wrong with them.”

Volunteers search the fire ground for injured and burnt koalas. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Dr Pine said the number of koalas admitted to the Currumbin hospital is up 22 per cent since the beginning of this year’s bushfire season, and the number of flying foxes admitted for starvation and dehydration has increased 10 fold.

“In the September bushfires we admitted 200 flying foxes, the previous year in September we only admitted 20,” he said.