The wildfires that raged across Australia in late 2019 and early 2020 were unprecedented in scope and severity. Nearly 3 billion animals, it is estimated, were killed or displaced, including numerous young wombats. Many were orphaned when their mothers, attempting to cross roads to escape the fires, were killed by motor vehicles.
Some of these young wombats have found a home at Southern Cross Wildlife Care, a wildlife hospital and rehabilitation center. To provide the animals with fresh air and the opportunity to engage in natural behaviors, AWI funded the construction of a new, secure outdoor enclosure for daytime play. In it, they can explore, run through tunnels, and dig. Recovery from a disaster of this magnitude can take years and even decades, and AWI is happy to support these efforts to provide long-term care to animals impacted by the wildfires.