Operation Rock Wallaby
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Finally, a bombing mission that will leave you feeling fuzzy all over…
A massive unprecedented multi-aircraft bombing campaign has been launched in New South Wales that will affect millions. The mission began with public donations used to charter small aircraft and has now grown to a full-blown aerial operation of hope and goodwill, with the full support of the New South Wales government.
A massive unprecedented multi-aircraft bombing campaign has been launched in New South Wales that will affect millions. The mission began with public donations used to charter small aircraft and has now grown to a full-blown aerial operation of hope and goodwill, with the full support of the New South Wales government.
‘Operation Rock Wallaby’ is currently underway by The National Parks and Wildlife Service, which has launched countless fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft loaded with sweet potatoes, carrots and assorted fresh veggies. Alongside volunteers scrambling to organize medical supplies donations and food for the drops, the bomber fleet has targeted the helpless furry survivors of the New South Wales brushfires in hopes of saving them.
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Their mission is to drop the much-needed food to starving animals displaced by the horrendously destructive wildfires. Mission objectives include the areas of Capertree and Wolgan Valleys, Yengo National Park, Kangaroo Valley, Jenolan, Oxley Wild Rivers and Currancubundi National Parks. Sadly, where many animals have successfully managed to escape the fires, only to find themselves outside their natural habitat and left without any vegetation to feed upon. Worsening drought conditions had already placed populations under significant stress. World Wildlife Fund estimated around 1.25 billion animals have died, either directly or indirectly from the bushfires.
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These incredible losses have occurred as Australia has suffered through the worst wildfires seen in decades, with large swathes of the country completely devastated since the fire season began. Bolstered by the environmental impacts of climate change, Australia is also experiencing one of its worst droughts in decades -- the country's Bureau of Meteorology said in December that last spring was the driest in recorded history. Meanwhile, a heatwave in December broke the record for the highest nationwide average temperature, with some places reaching well above 40 degrees Celsius
The heaviest structural damage from the fires occurred in NSW, where 1,588 homes have been destroyed, 650 damaged, and a total of 27 people have lost their lives nationwide.
In total, more than 17.9 million acres have been burned across Australia's six states . The worst-affected state is NSW, with more than 12.1 million acres burned
Almost 30 percent of koalas in NSW may have been killed in the fires, and a third of their habitat has been completely destroyed. The current estimate places half a billion animals that have been affected by the fires across NSW, with millions most likely dead -- and that's a conservative estimate, according to ecologists from the University of Sydney.
In a statement, WWF Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman said:
This heartbreaking loss includes thousands of precious koalas on the mid-north coast of NSW, along with other iconic species such as kangaroos, wallabies, gliders, potoroos, cockatoos and honeyeaters.
As you read this, countless flight crews are boarding their helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to continue their bombing missions in hopes of giving the struggling animals a chance at survival…and when they are not dropping food, these aircraft are used to medivac wounded animals to the city of Victoria for treatment.
If you wish to help these bomber crews, and volunteers on the surface - Get your credit card out, and visit the fine folks at: https://www.wires.org.au/donate/ways-to-help
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