Fire, floods threaten Australian zoo
Credit to Author: Global Times| Date: Sat, 18 Jan 2020 16:15:41 +0000
“This is incredible! Just last week, we were having daily meetings to discuss the imminent threat of bushfires, just 8 kilometers away from the Park here in Somersby,” Australian Reptile Park Director Tim Faulkner sai
after bushfires ravaged the island off of the south coast of Australia. The country is reeling from bushfires that since September 2019 have claimed 28 lives and razed 10 million hectares of land. AFP PHOTO
“Today, we’ve had the whole team out there, drenched, acting fast to secure the safety of our animals and defend the Park from the onslaught of water.”
Carrying koalas in their arms keepers waded through knee deep rushing water, while others desperately sandbagged to protect whatever enclosures they could.
Not all animals mind a bit of rain, however, and staff were wary to keep a close eye on the Alligator Lagoon where water levels rose close to the fence line.
Faulkner added that despite the hassle, rain remained a welcome sight considering the level of devastation felt by Australia this fire season.
“The contrast between the current bushfire crisis and this sudden flooding is striking, but we are well-aware that a huge part of Australia is still burning, and millions of animals are still under threat,” he said.
Throughout the disaster, the Australian Reptile Park has helped rescue and assist wildlife through its animal conservation charity, Aussie Ark.
“Going from drought and fire relief to flooding is all in a day’s work for our staff,” Faulkner said, “No two days are the same.”