Animal shelters have been placed under a great deal of strain in the wake of the Australian bushfires. The loss and devastation will take years to recover from, but there are collections of dedicated men and women who are willing to fight for the conservation cause. Wildlife bushfire victims continue to emerge across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
Thankfully Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers with their animal and conservation focused international volunteering programs stand as one of the leading charity organisations uniquely placed to lend a helping hand to these precious native species.
Assessing The Damage
Such is the devastation of the Australian bushfires of 2019-20 that they continue to burn into mid-February, some 6 months after they begun back in August. Approximately 10.7 million hectares have been burnt to the ground, amassing a size almost identical in scale to the nation of South Korea.
With an excess of 25 lives officially lost due to the disaster and more than 1,700 homes incinerated, the catastrophe continues to take a significant toll on a nation once considered ‘the lucky country.’
New reports have since emerged to speculate on the financial cost of restoring Australia, standing at a staggering $100 billion in relief efforts. This includes the health of citizens living with extensive smoke exposure, the death of livestock for the agricultural sector, the ruins left across rural and suburban communities and servicing basic eating and drinking requirements.
Animal shelters will play a key role to support our wildlife back to health, attempting to make the transition back into an environment that won’t ever be the same again.
Australian Wildlife Need Our Help
The death and devastation of our wildlife at Kangaroo Island would be a small window into the toll that has been taken on a national front. Approximately 25,000 koalas would be wiped out as the fires spread on the once idyllic holiday destination, killing 50% of the population in the process.
With the great outdoors being their home, these beautiful creatures often had no means of escape. Reports of 1.25 billion in animal deaths stands as a stark illustration of what inaction on climate change has led to.
Animal shelters are now the place of refuge for koalas, kangaroos, wombats, birds, reptiles and all manner of native species who are left injured, sick and homeless. Supporting our wildlife bushfire victims must be a central focus of the next phase of the relief effort in 2020.
Volunteering at Oceans 2 Earth Wildlife Shelters
Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers offer a range of conservation placement opportunities for all people driven by a common goal of promoting the ethical treatment and natural living ecology of all animals.These grassroots initiatives offer the perfect backdrop for men and women to get involved with animal shelters up close, helping with the healthcare and support that these vulnerable creatures require in their time of need. Wildlife bushfire victims are catered for across several key regions spanning Victoria.So why not volunteer with animals in Australia this year, when we need it most.
The Australian Forest Wildlife volunteering program in the Victorian region of Yackandandah has entered its eighth year, relying on the contributions of dedicated volunteers to assist these precious mammals and marsupials back to health.
Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers Wildlife Emergency Response & Wombat Refuge project in Çorryong, Victoria is another opportunity for participants to lend their hand to the bushfire relief by overseeing the care of a small number of 50-100 bushfire survivors along with the care of rescued wombats.
Sign Up Today
Placement opportunities for global and domestic travellers are open right now!
With a simple check of our online application page at the Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers’ website, volunteers are able to determine which of the operating animal shelters is right for them – picking a date that is available. Placement opportunities can be combined for those visitors who want to mix and match their experiences, so get in touch with our operators and see what is possible.
Nothing will be quite like taking part in an O2E program, embracing the great outdoors and visiting an exotic location that just so happens to be home to the best of Australian wildlife. The relief effort for wildlife bushfire victims won’t just be required across this summer of 2020 but will last as long as the animals need us, and their care will take years for many.
Written by Blake Hampton, writer for Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers
