Every dollar has an impact
The scale of Australia’s bushfires during the summer of 2019-20 was unprecedented and catastrophic. Thirty four people tragically lost their lives, almost 3,000 homes were lost and the impact on our forests and wildlife was immense. Over 12 million hectares of forest and woodlands were burnt, and nearly 3 billion animals impacted, pushing many of our threatened species, including the koala, to the brink of extinction.
The global response to this crisis was immediate and overwhelming. WWF-Australia is deeply touched by the incredible generosity shown by supporters and partners across the country and around the world. With your help, we were able to act quickly and at scale to get emergency funds to the frontline and mobilise our resources to plan the essential work that would be needed to help get Australia’s wildlife on the road to recovery once the fires were out.
Australia's nature laws are undergoing a once-in-10-year review. We already lost so much in the fires - will you ask your local politician to protect our wildlife and their remaining homes?
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Here’s how your donation has been making a difference
Minty the possum suffered burns to all four paws during the bushfires of summer 2019-20 © WWF-Australia / Matthew Harris
Responding to the emergency at scale
In a disaster of this scale, no one organisation can meet the needs of all the wildlife across the country. But together there are many incredible groups making it possible by doing critical and important work on the front line.
WWF-Australia partnered with over 40 wildlife rescue and care organisations in bushfire zones and directed immediate and urgent funds to respond to the emergency at scale.
This included:
- Urgent care: supporting specialist veterinarians who are providing care and medical treatment to injured wildlife across Australia.
- Food and water: providing starving wildlife with food and water in bushfire impacted regions.
- Finding koalas and other fire-affected wildlife: deploying koala detection dogs and drones to bushfire sites to search for surviving koalas and conducting rapid threatened species assessments in fire-affected areas.
- Supplies and triage: getting veterinary supplies to bushfire triage sites.
Learn more about
our emergency response partners here.
Darren Grover, Head of Healthy Land and Seascapes, WWF-Australia inspecting burnt trees on Kangaroo Island © WWF-Australia / Paul Fahy
The road to recovery
The devastation to our natural environment caused by the bushfires has been unprecedented and the recovery work ahead is immense.
Over the coming months and years, funds will be used to:
- Assess the loss: enable the ongoing assessment of the impacts on wildlife and their habitats.
- Restore wildlife habitat: restore what has been lost and protect remaining wildlife habitat from deforestation through our Towards Two Billion Trees plan.
- Support Indigenous and rural fire management.
Learn more about the projects already underway to restore what we’ve lost.
Kangaroo Island glossy black cockatoos found in un-burnt habitat © WWF-Australia / Paul Fahy
Future-proofing Australia
Even months after the last fire went out, we are still counting the cost of the damage and loss to wildlife and habitat. To protect the future of our forests and wildlife and to prepare for fire seasons to come, we must deliver a national wildlife and nature recovery plan.
Your donations help us:
- Strengthen policy: allow us to work with governments to strengthen climate policy and biodiversity laws.
- Species adaptation: support long-term conservation efforts for Australia’s native wildlife.
- Secure Australia’s natural resources: ensure that Australia’s precious natural resources are protected for people and nature.
- Innovate: explore and implement innovative solutions to help mitigate the impact of climate change and drive climate preparedness.
Here are
some of the projects already underway.
The Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund
The WWF Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund was established in January 2020 in response to the catastrophic bushfires of 2019-20. The fund delivers:
Wildlife response: partnering with wildlife response organisations, communities and scientists nationally for swift and effective recovery at scale.
Habitat restoration for people and nature: restoring forests and homes for wildlife, stopping deforestation, cultivating habitat connectivity, core landscapes and Indigenous and rural fire management.
Future-proofing Australia: driving innovative solutions to help reduce climate change, driving climate preparedness, species adaptation and long-term wildlife and nature conservation efforts towards securing Australia’s natural resources for people and nature.
Allocation of funds
Wildlife Responders and Recover
Partnering with reputable wildlife response organisations for swift and effective rescues of injured wildlife.
Recover Species and Adaptation
Identifying key species across high-risk landscapes and habitats to help them adapt to a changing climate.
Habitat and Landscape Restoration
Protecting unburnt habitat by working towards WWF-Australia’s Towards Two Billion Trees plan
Wildlife and Climate Laws
Ensuring the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) protects our wildlife and wild places
Global Climate Emergency
Taking action on the climate emergency on a global scale.
Stabilise Climate Change
Drawing on leading climate science to mobilise and support climate initiatives.
Indigenous Engagement
Enhancing the number of Indigenous rangers and drawing on Traditional Owner Knowledge.
Innovation and Engagement
Positioning Australia as a leader for impactful and innovative solutions to regeneration.
© WWF-Aus / Paul Fahy
A WWF-Australia Emergency Wildlife Response Partner:
- Has a reputation for efficiency, effectiveness, solvency and strong track record in relation to its treatment of animals;
- Has well-considered rescue and release protocols;
- Can confirm that its euthanasia policy, or approach, is for medical reasons only and that the decision is made by a trained professional;
- Has the capacity to scale its response based on the donation (i.e. that any donation will lead to additional benefits);
- Is able to assist with science-based species recovery in the future.
Support costs
Every donation received is critical in helping WWF-Australia respond to the impacts of the bushfires.
Delivering a response at this scale requires the skills and resources of the entire organisation: from our conservation scientists, ecologists, field teams and policy and legal experts, to the team that answers your calls and emails, accepts and deploys your donations and keeps you up-to-date with the latest news from the field.
We’re doing everything possible to keep support costs to a minimum.
© AP / Rick Stephens
We couldn’t do any of this work without the generosity of our supporters in Australia and around the world. Join us on this journey. Together it’s possible.
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RespondThe response and rescue efforts as the world came together during Australia’s devastating 2019-20 bushfires.
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ProtectWorking together to protect wildlife and restore habitats after the fires.
Read more
Future-proofSecuring the future of Australia’s native wildlife and precious natural resources for people and nature.
Read more