Western Media: Australia Claims 113 Animal Species Need ‘Urgent Assistance’ to Survive

British media says that the heavy rain last week brought hope to the unprecedented bushfire crisis. But the multi-month forest fires have destroyed many animal habitats, and Australia officially listed 113 animal species in need of 'urgent assistance' on February 11.

According to the BBC website on February 12, the Australian government said that almost all animals on the list have lost at least 30% of their habitats. The good news is that no animals have been found to be 'extinct' so far.

Experts say that koalas, kangaroos and birds, fish and frogs are the animals most in need of help. Researchers had previously estimated that the fires burned over 100 million animals and destroyed vast areas of temperate forests and grasslands.

Experts found that some of the animals on the list still face 'danger of extinction' because almost all their habitats have been destroyed. For example, the survival conditions of koalas have been disrupted. This means that these animals will need 'urgent intervention' to help them recover from the fires.

The report said that many species on the list were previously considered 'threatened' before the fires, but some of the animals listed on the list were previously considered to be safe in terms of their survival conditions.

The Australian Department of Environment said that the situation of plants and other invertebrates will be listed in the next round of lists.

Picture: This is a photo taken in Canberra, Australia's capital, on January 31, showing the bushfires in a national park. Photo from Xinhua News Agency