MsN reported on Jan. 14 that the Australian government is using helicopters and planes to help hungry animals that have been displaced by bushfires in the country.
The NSW government airdropped more than 4,000 pounds (3,628 pounds) of food by plane and fed it to the broom-tailed rock kangaroo colony, most of which were carrots and sweet potatoes.
Before the fires began in September, the broom-tailed rock kangaroo was already on the brink of extinction in southeastern Australia. Administration officials say the ongoing crisis could complicate their survival. The fire is estimated to have claimed the lives of more than 1 billion animals and burned more than 8.4 million hectares of forest — about twice the size of Maryland.
NSW Environment Minister Matt Keane said on January 12: "Preliminary fire assessments show that the habitats of several important broom-tailed rock kangaroo populations have been burned in recent bushfires. Kangaroos are already under enormous pressure from drought, and without aid, their survival will face serious challenges. ”
The fires have claimed the lives of at least 25 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes. Ecologist Chris M. Dickman estimates that more than 1 billion animals have died since the fires began in early September, with around 800 million animals destroyed in New South Wales alone.
Fire seasons occur frequently in the country, but this year has been particularly devastating. The country experienced its hottest and driest year, partly due to changes in ocean surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean.
"We know that Australia's biodiversity has been declining over the past few decades, and it's well known that Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction in the world," he said, adding, "An event like this is likely to accelerate the extinction process of a range of other species." So, it's a very sad time. ”