Victorian Bushfires Push Endangered Species to Brink of Extinction
The devastating bushfire season in Victoria has raised concerns about the impact on threatened species, with wildlife experts warning that many animals may not survive due to habitat loss and increased predation.
Wildlife teams have been deployed across multiple firegrounds to search for and assess affected animals, but the full extent of the devastation remains unknown. Mammals are particularly vulnerable, as they cannot fly away like some birds or hide in small crevices like frogs, reptiles, and insects.
Animals that sheltered in tree hollows, such as greater gliders and yellow-bellied gliders, were at particular risk, while wilkerr (dingo) populations have been affected by the loss of habitat in Wyperfeld national park.
Botanists are also concerned about the impact on plant species. The southern shepherd's purse, a small native herb with spoon-shaped leaves and white flowers, is endangered after fires near Harcourt burned Mount Alexander, home to the last remaining wild plants. Some threatened plant species may have been lost for good, while others may survive in the ground if conditions are not too hot.
Wildlife experts are warning that bushfires are becoming more severe, extensive, and frequent due to human-caused climate change. To mitigate this, states such as Victoria need the capability for "rapid attack" – quickly identifying when fires start and investing in enough equipment and people to control and extinguish them before they escalate.
Special protection measures should be implemented in areas like rainforests and wetter zones, similar to how Wollemi pines were saved in New South Wales during black summer. An overarching strategy for protecting priority ecosystems is also needed, as elements of the natural landscape are already being lost as fires burn and then burn again.
The devastating bushfire season in Victoria has raised concerns about the impact on threatened species, with wildlife experts warning that many animals may not survive due to habitat loss and increased predation.
Wildlife teams have been deployed across multiple firegrounds to search for and assess affected animals, but the full extent of the devastation remains unknown. Mammals are particularly vulnerable, as they cannot fly away like some birds or hide in small crevices like frogs, reptiles, and insects.
Animals that sheltered in tree hollows, such as greater gliders and yellow-bellied gliders, were at particular risk, while wilkerr (dingo) populations have been affected by the loss of habitat in Wyperfeld national park.
Botanists are also concerned about the impact on plant species. The southern shepherd's purse, a small native herb with spoon-shaped leaves and white flowers, is endangered after fires near Harcourt burned Mount Alexander, home to the last remaining wild plants. Some threatened plant species may have been lost for good, while others may survive in the ground if conditions are not too hot.
Wildlife experts are warning that bushfires are becoming more severe, extensive, and frequent due to human-caused climate change. To mitigate this, states such as Victoria need the capability for "rapid attack" – quickly identifying when fires start and investing in enough equipment and people to control and extinguish them before they escalate.
Special protection measures should be implemented in areas like rainforests and wetter zones, similar to how Wollemi pines were saved in New South Wales during black summer. An overarching strategy for protecting priority ecosystems is also needed, as elements of the natural landscape are already being lost as fires burn and then burn again.
I'm deeply concerned about the devastating impact these bushfires have had on Victoria's wildlife 
. The loss of habitat and increased predation are major threats to many species, including mammals like greater gliders and wilkerr (dingo) populations. 
It's heartbreaking to think that some species may not survive due to our failure to adapt to climate change 
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. To prevent further extinctions, we need rapid response capabilities and special protection measures for critical ecosystems like rainforests and wetlands 
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. I hope our state leaders take the necessary steps to mitigate climate change and protect Victoria's unique biodiversity 
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those poor creatures can't even escape a fire their homes are literally burning down around them... i feel like we need to do so much more to protect our planet & all its inhabitants it's not just about the animals, either - what about the trees and the soil? how are they going to recover from all these fires?
and it's affecting us in ways we're only just starting to understand. i think states like victoria need to step up their game & invest in some serious conservation efforts - rapid attack teams would be super helpful! but it's not just about the equipment & personnel, it's also about preserving our natural landscapes & ecosystems... we need a holistic approach to this problem 
this bushfire season in Vic is literally heartbreaking! I mean, we knew it was bad but to think that so many species are on the brink of extinction... it's just devastating 
. And it's not just animals, plants too are suffering 
. Those southern shepherd's purse plant were already endangered and now they've gone extinct due to fires near Harcourt. It's like, we're losing so much biodiversity and it's all because of climate change 
I mean, have we learned nothing from previous disasters? We need to get our act together & take real action against climate change - it's not just about throwing money at the problem, we need concrete changes! 
Like, how hard is it to set up those "rapid attack" teams that can jump into action ASAP when fires start? And what's with all these protected zones? Can't we just make sure our forests & wildlife reserves are safe from fires in the first place? 
this is so heartbreaking what's happening to our planet 
these bushfires are literally pushing endangered species to extinction 
and special protection measures for rainforests and wet zones are super important 
it's time for us all to take action 
i remember my kids talking about how magical the bush was when they were younger & now it's all just a nightmare... how can we not learn from our mistakes? 
these poor animals are losing their homes due to climate change. what's the point of having conservation efforts if we're just gonna keep burning the planet 
? we need to take action now! 
bushfires are like a never-ending nightmare for animals & plants. i mean, we know climate change is real, but still our governments aren't doing enough to prevent these disasters from happening in the first place.