Australia: study, 3 billion animals disappeared in fires 2019

(ANSA) - ROME, JULY 28 - About 3 billion would be trakoala, kangaroos and other species, the animals disappeared last year because of the big fires that have plagued Australia. The new estimate comes from an updated study that triples the data that so far indicated about one billion glianimal victims of the bonfires. Several foreign media reports. The research funded by the WWF Asutralia - writes ABC - includes 2.46 billion reptiles and 180 million birds believed to have been killed or forced to emigrate. To these - reports the Guardian - 143 million mammals would also add.
    This is the worst single wildlife event in Australia, among the worst in the world that will likely push some species to extinction: "It is almost inconceivable that so many animals are lost and displaced," said Professor Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney, who coordinated the study.
    The team updated its previous findings to include fires outside of New South Wales - including East Gippsland, northeastern Victoria and Kangaroo Island - and extended the analysis to more species, including bat hides and frogs.
    Professor Dickman said the revised figure is still conservative, with animals including turtles and non-included fish, due to the lack of basic data on their density. However, these are conservative estimates, Dickman explained: "We will never know exactly what the real number could have been," reports ABC. (HANDLE).