PLEA Network

3 January 2020,University of Sydney,  A statement about the 480 million animals killed in NSW bushfires since September. Australia has the highest rate of species lost of any area in the world. Professor Chris Dickman estimates that 480 million animals have been affected since bushfires in NSW started in September 2019. This statement explains how that figure was calculated. Update 8 January 2020: Professor Christopher Dickman revised his estimate of the number of animals killed in bushfires in NSW to more than 800 million animals, and more than one billion animals impacted nationally. This figure is based on a 2007 report for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on the impacts of land clearing on Australian wildlife in New South Wales (NSW). To calculate the impacts of land clearing on the State’s wildlife, the authors obtained estimates of mammal population density in NSW and then multiplied the density estimates by the areas of vegetation approved to be cleared. Estimates of density were obtained from published studies of mammals in NSW and from studies carried out in other parts of Australia in similar habitats to those present in NSW. The authors deliberately employed highly conservative estimates in making their calculations. The true mortality is likely to be substantially higher than those estimated. Read more here