MELBOURNE — The Australian government committed A$50 million to an emergency wildlife recovery program on Monday, calling the bushfires crisis engulfing the country “an ecological disaster” that threatens several species, including koalas and rock wallabies. Huge wildfires have razed more than 11.2 million hectares (27.7 million acres), nearly half the area of the United Kingdom, destroying or severely damaging the habitats of several native animals. “This has been an ecological disaster, a disaster that is still unfolding,” Treasurer Frydenberg told reporters on Monday as he visited the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, where 45 koalas were being treated for burns. They include three critically endangered species: the southern corroboree frog, the regent honeyeater bird and the western ground parrot. The koalas’ heavy fur and tendency to climb higher when threatened are severe disadvantages in fast-moving bushfires.

Source: National Post January 13, 2020 06:22 UTC