PORT MACQUARIE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 19: An injured koala receives treatment after its rescue from a ... [+] bushfire at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 19, 2019 in Port Macquarie, Australia. (Photo by Tao Shelan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images) VCG via Getty Images
As Australia experiences record-breaking drought and bushfires, koala populations have dwindled along with their habitat, leaving them “functionally extinct.”
The chairman of the Australian Koala Foundation, Deborah Tabart, estimates that over 1,000 koalas have been killed from the fires and that 80 percent of their habitat has been destroyed.
Recent bushfires, along with prolonged drought and deforestation has led to koalas becoming “functionally extinct” according to experts.
Functional extinction is when a population becomes so limited that they no longer play a significant role in their ecosystem and the population becomes no longer viable. While some individuals could produce, the limited number of koalas makes the long-term viability of the species unlikely and highly susceptible to disease.
Koala rescued from the recent Australian bushfires https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thirsty-koalas-devastated-by-recent-fires/campaign/gallery/0
Deforestation and bushfires destroy the main nutrient source of koalas, the eucalyptus tree. An adult koala will eat up to 2 pounds of eucalyptus leaves per day as its main staple of nutrients. While eucalyptus plants will grow back after a fire, it will take months, leaving no suitable food source for koalas and starvation a likely scenario for many.
Many are urging the Australian government to enact the Koala Protection Act, written in 2016 but never passed into law and molded after the Bald Eagle Protection Act in the U.S. The Koala Protection Act would work to protect habitats and trees vital to koalas as well as protect koalas from hunting.
Recent viral videos of Australians rescuing koalas has led to increased donation to support hospitalization and help for burned koalas.
The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital setup a Go Fund Me page seeking donations to help the hospital treat injured koalas. To date, they have raised $1.33 million, well over their $25,000 goal. This comes from over 30,000 donors.
Go Fund Me for koala aid https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thirsty-koalas-devastated-by-recent-fires
Part of their effort is to install drinking stations for koalas in areas devastated by the fires. The funds will also be used for a “Koala Ark” as a refuge for burned koalas to live in a healthy habitat during rehabilitation.
GotThemBabyLungs on November 24th, 2019 at 00:16 UTC »
Prime minister has told Australians to ignore all the fire, deaths ,destruction and smoke and concentrate on the upcoming cricket.
He also gave ‘thoughts and prayers’
OrginalCuck on November 24th, 2019 at 00:00 UTC »
For anyone reading this. The NSW coalition (Liberal/National) and specifically gladys berejiklian. They cut funding to fire services and national parks. Specially cutting fire management officers from 35+ down to 10. There was a guy who had to manage 250,000ha of Bush land (including hazard reduction burns) with him and like 3 staff because of cuts
Across the world disasters have names. For Australians we all know of cyclone Tracey, black Saturday.
Americans know the name of hurricane katrina.
These bush fires. That have burnt over 1.5 million hectares already have a name too. The Berejiklian Bush Fires. The government was warned in April by some of our top fireies that this fire season would be extreme. They figuratively sat on it until those same fire staff came out and showed a copy. Our government are fucked.
Everyone don’t forget. These are the BEREJIKLIAN BUSH FIRES
edit- seeings this got a little traction I thought, just in case anyone wants to read up on why I am saying what I’m saying. I had some more time.Gladys cuts fire services as reported in the Independent Australia
Independent also reports Gladys ignored advice from experienced individuals, as well as Scott Morrison
Canberra times reports further budget mismanagement when it comes to fire services
Sydney morning herald reporting that Gladys has stated there are more employed in these services, however numbers show they have less trained to fight fires and are 400 short of what they predict needed to protect the state on a decent level
Then let’s just throw some shade because fuck Gladys
NSW public servants told not to link bush fires to climate change
And the icing on the cake
Gladys tells public it’s not the time to talk about climate change, to which a local who lives in the area of the fires, a former MINER AND LOGGER and fire services volunteer says yes it is the time.
Basically. Fuck Gladys. Fuck the coalition. Fuck the liberals. Fuck the nationals. Fuck Barnaby Joyce for making a political stunt out of actual deaths . I’m sorry I’m tired of this and I haven’t even linked the environmental damage and water mismanagement by Gladys and the Coalition.
Edit 2 : Thank you strangers for the awards, however I’d ask if anyone else considering awards would use that money to help what’s going on. I’m not an expert in where’s best to donate but these 2 places are not a bad spot to start
Wires, a wildlife rescue group who do great work and The NSW Rural Fire Services who have been seriously underfunded as mentioned above. For anyone else. Just don’t let these people get away with this. Don’t let this fade away. Hold them accountable. Stand up and tell your state and federal members that this isn’t acceptable
hungry_tiger on November 23rd, 2019 at 21:23 UTC »
I did not realize how much of Australia is on fire now.
Edit: deleted link to government fire safety site, due to too many views causing it to malfunction.