Second catastrophic flood event in weeks impacts Australian wildlife sanctuaries

April 1, 2022

Karen Sweaney

Conservation organisations fear for the impacts on Australian wildlife, as New South Wales. braces for a second flood disaster.

The flood waters pose a huge threat to wildlife, and their survival. The quickly rising waters have likely flooded burrows and drowned animals such as wombats and echidnas, while critical food sources have been washed away. The destruction of habitat has already been huge, and the impacts will be long lasting, with species displaced and placed at greater risk of predation by feral animals, car strike and disease.

With up to 300mm of rain predicted in some areas, the already rain sodden areas have been issued with evacuation and watch orders.

In light of the catastrophic flooding events hammering the East coast of Australia. Aussie Ark set up the Australian Wildlife Flood Appeal to aid in the long term recovery of our battered wildlife from these relentless weather conditions.

The rains and subsequent flood events have caused damage to the organisation’s Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary and Mongo Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Including damaged predator proof fences, washed away access roads, reforesting works threatened, conservation projects delayed, and wildlife left without homes.

As Liz Gabriel, Aussie Ark Director, explains “we have experienced weeks of near non-stop rain, and the impacts to our sanctuaries are devastating. Our wildlife has been handed blow after blow in recent years, making the long-term rehabilitation and protection of our wildlife that much more critical."

Aussie Ark is calling on the community to help ensure our wildlife are given the chance to recover. The Australian wildlife flood appeal will help assist in flood recovery, repair damages, assist in recovering critical reforestation projects and build brighter, long-term futures for our wildlife.

Australia’s wildlife is in a fragile state. The effects of the country's feral predator plague are almost too much to bear, and the increase of intense natural disasters are pushing our wildlife to the brink. Long term, practical solutions are needed to ensure Australia’s unique wildlife have a place in our future. Aussie Ark are working towards protecting the future of our iconic wildlife, creating insurance populations of threatened and endangered species, developing safe havens for our wildlife to call home and rehabilitating damaged ecosystems through intense weed and fire management, tree planting and rewilding activities.

Aussie Ark’s unique conservation toolbox primes them to produce tangible outcomes for Australian wildlife.

Click here to donate to Aussie Ark's work.

Images: Kangaroo in flood water (top, credit: WWF) and koala in floods (below, courtesy: Aussie Ark).

About the author

Karen Sweaney

Co-founder and Editor, Australasian Leisure Management

Artist, geoscientist and specialist writer on the leisure industry, Karen Sweaney is Editor and co-founder of Australasian Leisure Management.

Based in Sydney, Australia, her specific areas of interest include the arts, entertainment, the environment, fitness, tourism and wellness.

She has degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and Geological Oceanography from UNSW.

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