Nearly three billion animals were killed or displaced during Australia’s devastating bushfires of the past year, scientists say.
The findings meant it was one of “worst wildlife disasters in modern history”, said the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which commissioned the report.
Mega blazes swept across every Australian state last summer, scorching bush and killing at least 33 people.
Mammals, reptiles, birds and frogs died in the flames or from loss of habitat.
Koalas face extinction in New South Wales by 2050
Australia fires were far worse than any prediction
During the peak of the crisis in January, scientists had estimated that 1.25 billion animals had been killed in New South Wales and Victoria alone.
But the new estimate takes in a larger area. About 11.46 million hectares – an area comparable to England – was scorched from September to February.
