Fauna Journal Entry

Australian Fires Kill Wildlife (February 23, 2009)

Wildlife officials say the fires raging across southeastern Australia this month likely killed millions of animals. Animal carcasses were scattered far and wide across the blackened landscape. Creatures that survived the blazes came out of hiding only to find everything edible burned to a crisp.

The remains of hundreds of kangaroos were found along the sides of roads, victims of flames or smoke. Many that survived the fires have burns on their feet. Some of the highly territorial animals escaped the flames but circled back to their burned habitat by instinct.

Many wombats hid in their underground burrows and made it through the intense firestorm. But now it's nearly impossible for them to find food or water. The blazes also took a heavy toll on koalas, birds, lizards, and other animals. Wildlife officials and volunteers worked frantically to bring as many injured animals as possible to animal shelters for treatment.