Australia

Australian animals are pretty awesome, right? Think kangaroos, koalas, platypus, wombats, quokkas… and some scary snakes and spiders! Because Australia was separated from the other continents for such a long time, its animals evolved separately. That’s why some of them are pretty unique and quirky, and why so many raise their babies in pouches!
Lots of animals in Australia live in the ‘bush’, which is what we call the uninhabited areas of the continent, far from where people live, which is often covered in forest. Recently, the bush went up in flames. Remember the scary bushfires that took hold all over Australia in 2019 and 2020? These came about because the seasons have been hotter than ever before, and the bush much drier. The culprit? Yes, you guessed it, climate change.

The wildlife in Australia was devastated by the bushfires, and are stull recovering, as it has affected their homes, food sources, and so much more.

When we heard about the bushfires, WildLife Foundation were desperate to help, so we teamed up with ZAA (Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia) to provide funds for their relief effort.

Where we work

The ZAA effort was Australia-wide, and particularly important in New South Wales where the fires were at their worst.

Our projects

Response to the bushfire wildlife crisis

We helped raise funds online and received donations from guests at Yorkshire Wildlife Park for ZAA’s relief effort following the 2019-2020 bushfire crisis. This fund helped to rescue animals and provide care and rehabilitation for them during the crisis, and as things improved, assess the impact on wildlife and habitat and begin recovery efforts. Rangers at YWP collected donations at the wallaby walkabout with the help of Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s rescued wallaby Wilding and her adorable joey Aruma.

Our Partners:

ZAA (Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia) is an association that represents zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries and wildlife parks across Australasia, and allows them to work together to save wildlife.