The heavy forest fires that have been ravaging Australia since October have killed at least two thousand koala bears so far. Scientists have reported this to the Australian government.
Because the forests are still burning in many places, the researchers fear that many more animals will not survive. The wildfires in Australia broke out two months earlier this year than on average in recent years.
According to the head of a koala rescue and treatment center in the state of New South Wales, the current fires are the deadliest for the animals to date. “It’s terrible. And then the summer has yet to begin, “says the director.
According to an estimate by the Australian Koala Foundation AKF, between 43,000 and 100,000 koalas still live in the wild.