Displaced and lost native animals and plants opinions ..

[roddy1960]

After the current fires are eventually exhausted one way or another , either by decent rainfall or if and when fuel loads and control sort it all out I've been thinking that this is going to have a massive impact on our wildlife and flora in a lot of the worst affected areas.

. I believe early estimates by the wildlife organisations are predicting it could be up to five hundred million animals wiped out .

Even for those that survive , there goes ever growing tracts of essential natural habitat that provides food , shelter and breeding areas for the native animals , birds and insects dependent on each other .

How is this going to impact of long term area survival of many species I wonder ?

This is surely one of the many heartbreaking outcomes unfolding as these fires wipe out so much land in each Australian State this summer .

At least with us humans we have a capacity to rebuild reasonably quickly but for habitat to regenerate enough to get wildlife back , it could take a lot longer . I hope it plays a pretty big part in the recovery planning in the next year or two especially where endangered wildlife is already a problem .

Love to know what you guys think in this regard also .

[.:4:.]

I read somewhere that 30% or more of the koala population has been wiped out. Their diet being as specific as it is, thats going to take a lot to try and stem further losses in my opinion. Today at my place it was 47 degrees, so i envy the rfs for donning the gear and doing what they do on a day i was struggling with just wearing board shorts.

[marty351]

I would hope our ever growing population of café vegans and their allies can come together to help the plight of our native critters. If ever there was a time for them to shine and show us all what real good they can do for the environment, this is it.

Also, the pet food industry could do with a lot of our help to make up the shortfall of food these little guys will desperately need.

[danzvtil]

After the Samson flat fire there were people dropping hay in national parks for the roos. The scale of the current fire situation is mind boggling, BUT do not underestimate nature’s ability to regenerate, just as it has done for eons.

[mcflux]

It's devastating just seeing it on the news, remote from the fireground. There's going to be a lot more sh*t news coming out over this year, even after the fires are finally out.

I'm not sure why but it's the koalas in particular that are getting to me, even the ones who have been rescued (injured/burnt).

That 22yo hunter in Mallacoota who's rescued a number of koalas is a legend.

Rod, how are you holding up in your area with the fires?

[sr71]

Heartbreaking isn't it. Surely this is a turning point for the decline of many species.
I'm the guy who pulls over to check roadkill for babies. And drag larger ones off the road, so that the scavengers don't get hit.
This fire beast is destroying massive areas of habitat. Food and water sources aren't coming back soon, without rain. So we need to hope for rain, soon.
I imagine 'Green Belts' will be broken up, to create smaller pockets of bush. Government, developers, and Kit Home builders will benefit, and in the name of Prevention of Future Megafires, Greens oposition won't stop it.
Green Belts have always been about the animals, so further decline of species will happen.
Taronga Zoo Koala keepers travel to a specific (Blue Mountains region) to stock the required Gum leaves, their Koals need. I wonder if that source is still available? Sure, our Native trees regenerate after bushfires. And Zoo staff will go elsewhere, if needed. But not every family of 10-15 koalas has a helicopter spotting gum trees, and a van of staff hiking through the bush to stock feed.
Animal Sanctuaries are always underfunded. Let's hope that this changes, moving forward. As it may be the only way that some species can rebuild their populations.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by sr71

Heartbreaking isn't it. Surely this is a turning point for the decline of many species.
I'm the guy who pulls over to check roadkill for babies. And drag larger ones off the road, so that the scavengers don't get hit.
This fire beast is destroying massive areas of habitat. Food and water sources aren't coming back soon, without rain. So we need to hope for rain, soon.
I imagine 'Green Belts' will be broken up, to create smaller pockets of bush. Government, developers, and Kit Home builders will benefit, and in the name of Prevention of Future Megafires, Greens oposition won't stop it.
Green Belts have always been about the animals, so further decline of species will happen.
Taronga Zoo Koala keepers travel to a specific (Blue Mountains region) to stock the required Gum leaves, their Koals need. I wonder if that source is still available? Sure, our Native trees regenerate after bushfires. And Zoo staff will go elsewhere, if needed. But not every family of 10-15 koalas has a helicopter spotting gum trees, and a van of staff hiking through the bush to stock feed.
Animal Sanctuaries are always underfunded. Let's hope that this changes, moving forward. As it may be the only way that some species can rebuild their populations.

I'm glad you do this and do the same as much as I can.
Some good news is the Mogo Zoo was saved and all the animals were saved by brave people defending it.
Here at Chiltern the rare Ironbark forest protects so many rare species of birds and other wildlife. The waterpoints within the forest have been topped up and are frequented by white plumed honey eaters, turquois parrots, goannas, wallabies and lots of Koalas of late due to the heat.

On the subject of special gum trees, while I was working in Beechworth I met this fascinating guy from the US, who visits his Albury family.
Being originally from here, he set up a unique business in the US growing Australian native gums and supplies most of the zoos on the west coast of the US with the food needed to feed Aussie animals in zoos there.

Goes without saying but please be aware of injured and wandering animals while out driving in the country at this time.

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by mcflux

It's devastating just seeing it on the news, remote from the fireground. There's going to be a lot more sh*t news coming out over this year, even after the fires are finally out.

I'm not sure why but it's the koalas in particular that are getting to me, even the ones who have been rescued (injured/burnt).

That 22yo hunter in Mallacoota who's rescued a number of koalas is a legend.

Rod, how are you holding up in your area with the fires?

We're doing pretty good .Nice of you to ask .Thanks also all you guys for the replies . I live literally 100 metres from our Emergency Services Base that houses Fire Brigade , Ambulance and S.E.S. .Yesterday that's where all the crews from many parts of the State were on full alert given the high temps and winds again . Don't think too much was needed as it happens but the real concern was that the Fingal /Mangana fire had huge risk of hitting the Douglas-Apsley Gorge and took a lot of homes and caused the death of a clean up firefighter crushed by a burning tree in 2006.

Because of the topography that means it has easier access to the heavier populated east coast region (Bicheno/Swansea , Scamander/StHelens full of holiday makers alot like Mallacoota /East Gippsland I guess .

Quite cool today after 30 plus yesterday and maybe a spot of rain and praying the rain band will do some good in Victoria , NSW and S.A with any luck before the next lot of temp spikes hit later next week as predicted ..

Not quite the same intensity as the mainland fires yet but because of the terrain they are really hard to access although the helicopters have got a lot of it I was told . Some towns are on Level 3 water restrictions and a river levels are as low as anyone can recall .

Roadkill is horrendous because the wildlife tends to come more to the road verges where there is more green stuff.. Stock feed is getting pretty low too and on our school farm there is nothing to speak of other than the bought feed .. In the stretch on a B road I was on Thursday at least 10 dead wallabies or kangaroos , a wombat I saw , a few possums in about 10 kms ..Heartbreaking ..

Some of the images I saw of the roos panicking and trying to outrun the fires is shocking and the koalas , many burnt ,still trying to find a tree and taking water from humans would tear the heart of even the most hardened of us .

Birds not least shore birds , vital insect populations , even reptilian/snake populations vital to the ecosystem will be deeply impacted I guess in some areas . Hoping that some animals will be able to migrate to less affected areas but I suppose that would also impact on other animals in these areas too.

Please don't take this the wrong way but in many ways the ecology losses are worse than as our human 'habitat' losses in these fires because we can access materials to rebuild and feed ourselves relatively quickly . Our native animals and plants can't quite as easily . The tragedies of human loss of life excepted of course .

The recovery planning HAS TO involve this crucial component wherever is possible and as quickly as possible and I'm hoping that the politicians will make sure this is not forgotten .

A bit of good news on the Fingal Valley fires . Tasmania Police have charged a bloke they believe is responsible for one of the fires that started last week and other fires a bit earlier that have been burning in the
Tower Hill area.

I hope he gets what he deserves ..he's a bloody local too . a little bit of RAW footage of the local fires on the link ..Since then the firebug has been charged ..

https://www.news.com.au/national/raw...711bfb2af800a4...

[XC50077]

I am in the center of Sydney near Parramatta area and noticing more birdlife appearing, looking for a new habitat till the burnt areas revegetate. Nice though having multiple of bird species about with the many distinctive sounds. Very sad all the lost bush and wildlife here and in multiple states.
Cheers