Now open the introduction page of the South Australian government's official website about the travel resort "Kangaroo Island", and a heart-wrenching notice pops up on the cute kangaroo and quiet landscape promotional photos, "The damage and casualties caused by the recent bushfire on Kangaroo Island make us sad." Much of the island, including infrastructure, roads and homes, was affected by the fires. If you are on the island, be vigilant, be mindful of the local situation and take emergency life-saving measures if the situation changes".
Kangaroo Island fire Australian Daily Telegraph image
Since last month, the Australian bushfire has been raging, and as the hot and windy weather continues, the fire has become more and more fierce, and since the weekend, the western part of Kangaroo Island has unfortunately become another hard-hit area. Australian bush pilot Dick Lang and his son Clayton were tragically killed in the fire.
Comparison of the southern Ocean Lodge before and after the fire Infographic
The island's famous resort, Southern Ocean Lodge, was reduced to rubble in a fire. On Friday the hotel evacuated all guests and most of the staff, only 6 employees remained now to monitor the fire, fortunately, no one was injured.
Wehrmacht personnel arrive at Kangaroo Island Screenshot of a video on the Australian 9news news network
According to the Australian 9news news network, at about 15:00 local time on January 6, wehrmacht personnel have arrived at Kangaroo Island, fearing that the fire emergency may escalate again. The South Australian Fire Department has said it hopes that the cooler weather in the coming days will help them continue their firefighting efforts.
Known as a "wildlife sanctuary", this land was once home to a large group of healthy koalas, bees that produce the purest honey, and is home to Australia's rarest marsupials. But bushfires destroyed 4,400 square kilometres of the island, meaning that a third of Kangaroo Island had been charred.
According to Australia's abc News Network, South Australia's most important and largest Flinders Chase National Park has been burned down. John Warnerski, a professor at Charles Darwin University and deputy director of the Endangered Animal Recovery Centre, noted the severity of the fire in an interview, noting that it was a "carnage of destruction" against wildlife. "In places like Kangaroo Island, many landscapes and life have been burned down in such extreme ways," he said, "which also means that certain species of flora and fauna have no habitat... Some species may have been completely extinct, while others have lost their numbers due to casualties, increasing the risk of extinction. ”
Let us know and care for the poor beings who are suffering.
Healthy koalas without chlamydia infection
The koala population on Kangaroo Island has been booming, at around 50,000, but it's unclear how many koalas have been killed in devastating bushfires.
A koala rescued from a fire by Cliaire Campbell of the Australian abc news network
Although kangaroo island koalas are not endangered species, they are the only population of iconic marsupials without chlamydia, and researcher Dr. Natasha Spit said in an interview that the impact of the fire on koala populations across the island could be significant.
Long-tailed bag shrew
The long-tailed possum has been specifically mentioned in both local Australian and British media, because even if it had not been hit by this fire, the long-tailed possum on Kangaroo Island could become extinct within the next decade.
Long-tailed possum Kangaroo Island natural resources network map
It is not yet known how many surviving animals remain on the island, which are the size of rats. Kangaroo Island wildlife ecologist Pat Hogans said: "They are small and may not be able to escape the fire... Their habitat is gone, they are vulnerable to attacks by surrounding predators such as feral cats, and from the current aerial imagery, their survival is not optimistic."
Black cockatoo
The shiny black parrot of Kangaroo Island is a "subspecies" that is unique to the island's beautiful creatures.
Figure of the discovered black parrot Bush Organics social account
Their important habitat on the north coast has been destroyed by fire, including some important nesting areas, but Kangaroo Island business Bush Organics posted a message on social media on the 6th and found a small group of shiny black parrots flying on the side of the road, which provides "a glimmer of hope" for its future.
Ligurian bees
It is widely believed that the Ligurian bee on Kangaroo Island is the last purebred bee to be found in the world.
Ligurian Bee Infographic
After the South Australian Government declared the island a bee sanctuary, they have been thriving on the island for the past 135 years. Stephen Hitley, owner of the Queen Bee of Liguria on Kangaroo Island, has lost 40 hives in the fire, and it is "estimated" that the overall number of damaged hives may be 500.
Ligurian bees were introduced from Italy and reached Australia through the United States in 1885 before entering Kangaroo Island. The Ligurian honey industry is thriving on the island, with a range of beauty and skincare products, and the part that is currently burned includes bees that produce signature goods, and the fire is undoubtedly a blow to the entire industry.
How will the Australian bush recover?
Bushfires ravaging across Australia involve about 5.8 million hectares of bush, and local experts estimate that wildlife losses across Australia's forest fire season will exceed 500 million.
Wernerski thinks the recovery period could take decades. "After the fires, the survival resources that these plants and animals need, like the hollowness of trees, the lush vegetation and the dead leaves, may take many years to reappear," he said sadly, adding that "many Australians have a natural affinity for the bushes we live in, and the fires are changing their connection to the land and the environment".
But at the same time, Wonaski offers more thought-provoking thinking. People may see forests, woodlands and nature as a threat to human life because of the frequent bushfires around the world, which will lead to another kind of tragedy. He concluded: "We need to appreciate the forest and woodland in which we live, and we cannot treat it like an enemy".
Attached: The latest travel tips for South Australia
As of now, the eastern end of Kangaroo Island, which includes Kingscote, Cygnet River and Penneshaw, has not been affected by the fires.
The South Australian Fire Department will advise anyone travelling to the island to check with their place of accommodation or travel agent and pay attention to all warnings when on the island.
For visitors planning a trip to South Australia, the latest security information can be found at the South Australian Fire Department, national emergency services, sa.gov.au and more.