In 2019 and 2020, the Black Summer bushfires swept across Australia, killing an estimated 3 billion animals, per World Wildlife Fund Australia.
But out of the ashes, Matilda was born. That's the nickname given to a 22-wheel mobile vet clinic created by Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital. The mobile animal hospital, which operates in northern New South Wales, was custom built to respond to disasters like bushfires, floods, mass strandings, and oil spills.
Inner East Review reported on this innovative solution, stating that nearly 8,000 native animals have received care from Matilda so far.
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Among the billions of animals impacted by the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires were 143 million mammals, 2.46 billion reptiles, 180 million birds, and 51 million frogs, according to the WWF. This kind of biodiversity loss affects more than wildlife — plants and animals help keep ecosystems running. In turn, those ecosystems provide us with benefits like fresh water, clean air, food, and medicine.
As our world continues to overheat, wildfires and other natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, threatening wildlife and destroying habitats. For instance, in the first few months of 2024, fires raged across parts of the Amazon and Texas, endangering people, wildlife, and landscapes. The Amazon alone is home to at least 40,000 plant species, 427 mammals, 1,300 birds, 378 reptiles, more than 400 amphibians, and about 3,000 freshwater fish species, per WWF.
The animal hospital on wheels was on display at the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services conference in September, and Wildlife Recovery Australia Chair Ken Henry emphasized the importance of such exposure.
"The role played by veterinarians in providing care for injured wildlife during emergency situations is critical to public confidence in efforts to protect Australian biodiversity," he told Inner East Review. "Our presence at [the conference] signals our intent to work alongside government agencies, emergency responders and communities to avoid further irreversible loss of native animals to extreme and catastrophic natural disasters."
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