Did we heed the warnings from Black Summer?

IFAW’s disaster response team, including our international colleagues, worked tirelessly during those tragic months, assisting in the rescue of injured wildlife and supporting the dedicated carers who helped those animals recover. In the years since, we’ve remained steadfast, partnering with local groups and communities to support the best welfare outcomes for wildlife in rehabilitation and turning efforts towards the restoration and long term-recovery of the landscape. 

We also reflected on what must change to better prepare and build resilience for wildlife and the community in future disasters. 

Proactive preparedness   

While we have made great headway connecting various groups, governments, and response agencies and building capacity in the wildlife sector, there is much more to be done, especially through greater government recognition and resourcing for the critical role the wildlife rescue community plays in disaster response.  

Individual animals matter 

When populations (let alone species) approach a tipping point, as was the case with koalas after the fires, saving one animal can mean the difference between existence and extinction. IFAW has invested heavily since Black Summer, bolstering veterinary capacity and training opportunities. We want to ensure every animal receives the greatest level of care available, with the opportunity for rehabilitation and release back to the wild.  

Success, however, is about much more than saving a life. Ultimately, it must also focus on the bigger picture: restoring ecosystems and protecting biodiversity.

Taking a holistic approach 

To make a fundamental difference to our wildlife, our government, at all levels, must urgently address the root cause of why Australia continues to lead the world in mammal species extinction, rather than just dabbing at the symptoms. Part of this approach includes recognising nature’s financial value. 

Nature should be a priority in development approvals. Using a nature-positive lens to see habitat as an asset worth protecting, as opposed to something in the way of economic development, will benefit both the wildlife and communities that share the space. Planning to coexist with nature, such as putting a stop to land-clearing and native forest logging, will help our landscape recover and give animals the space they need to survive. 

Protecting our flora and fauna requires joint effort 

Australia’s natural environment is not only iconic but contributes significantly to our national economy; some estimates place half our GDP as reliant on nature-related activities.  

Yet when it comes to protecting our native animals and the places they call home, charities and volunteers bear much of the increasing workload and costs, relying heavily on public donations. Government support for the wildlife sector is thin on the ground. 

Providing more incentive for veterinarians to study wildlife medicine, greater recognition and support of the wildlife rehabilitation sector, and helping the thousands of individual wildlife carers across the country to not only ease the financial burden of the work they do, but also allow them to care for their own wellbeing as much as they selflessly care for our native wildlife, is just the beginning. 

We can’t ignore climate warnings   

Black Summer thrust Australia into the global spotlight as a dire example of what can happen when climate change is ignored. Today, we continue to see more and more catastrophic events linked to the changing climate, such as this month’s devastating wildfires in southern California. Such disasters will only echo themselves if we sit back and do nothing. 

To halt climate change in its tracks and reverse its course, there is still so much that needs to be done. We need stronger environmental laws to drive species protection. Corporations need a better understanding of how nature-positive development and investment will benefit much more than their bottom line. Knowledge of Indigenous peoples and Traditional Custodians needs to be at the forefront of conservation planning. We need communities to become more engaged with their local environment. And collaboration between all sectors is vital to leverage combined resources for the greatest impact. 

While the challenges ahead are daunting, solutions exist, and we all have a role to play in advancing them. By embracing nature as part of the solution to climate change, we will continue to build a more resilient future—for our wildlife, ourselves, and the health of our planet.