RSPCA makes an urgent plea for volunteers to help deliver food and vital supplies for koalas injured in Australia’s bushfires
- Koalas injured in the Australian bushfires are in desperate need of voluntary help
- The RSPCA fears that the surviving koalas will starve to death after the bushfires
- Koalas solely eat the leaves of Eucalyptus trees but many habitats are destroyed
- Around 120 volunteers are needed to deliver food to wildlife on Kangaroo Island
The RSPCA has made an urgent plea for volunteers to help deliver food and vital supplies for koalas injured in Australia’s bushfires.
RSPCA SA chief executive Paul Stevenson called for 120 volunteers to assist koalas and other wildlife impacted by the bushfires on Kangaroo Island on Friday.
The country’s peak animal welfare organisation has growing fears that animals that survived the fires will now slowly starve to death.
‘We don’t know how many animals are fending for themselves in totally barren landscapes, but wildlife rescuers are starting to find animals in extremely poor condition due to lack of food and water,’ Mr Stevenson said.
‘With so many areas still not accessed our fear is these animals being found are the tip of the iceberg.
‘And it’s not just koalas. Several endangered species have also suffered habitat loss.’
The RSPCA said volunteers would work in teams to distribute food and water to affected animals and to also collect food for animals in care.
The operation is expected to continue for at least the next three months, allowing time for sufficient vegetation regrowth.
The RSPCA will also establish one or two food depots on the island to allow locals to collect food for native animals.