Recovery: 2021 Update

Recovery: 2021 Update

Jim Geddes reported, “The recovery and the regeneration of the landscape is quite stunning at the present time! All the trees that we've planted are doing well. There are also many volunteer (native) germinations. We have had the 4th wettest July on record and Spring flowers are everywhere. We are seeing plant species we have never seen before that are fire responsive.”

Kangaroo Island: recovering, not ravaged

‘Only 6 weeks after the fire front passed we have just returned from more days on the fire grounds where we find plant and animal successions are well advanced. Lots of new regrowth on charred and standing timber.

Fire dependent fungi are prospering in the ash beds. There are lots of tracks and signs of small vertebrates such as lizards, marsupials, and birds on the ground. Many are taking up new shelters in fallen timber and fire hollowed logs, we can detect at least four different types of birdsong on the air. Recent rains have created ephemeral pools and running creeks where frogs and toadlets are calling. The calm evenings are punctuated by the calls of thick knee curlews, boobooks and masked plover’.

Excerpt from field report Kangaroo Island 3/2/2020 – Dr Peggy Rismiller OAM, Mike McKelvey OAM, PLWRC

Preserving Hanson Bay Koalas on the mainland

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Sixteen more koalas have been translocated from bushfire-ravaged Kangaroo Island and will be housed at Cleland Wildlife Park to add to the recently established disease-free insurance population. 

The translocation was carried out by Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Cleland Wildlife Park staff to prevent the koalas from dying of starvation and these animals will further establish an ark population on mainland South Australia.

Bushfire impacts Hanson Bay

Friday, 3 January, 2020

Hanson Bay Company regrets to inform you that Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was hit very hard by Friday’s devastating fire. Many buildings were lost but it is too early to know the exact details.

All guests and most staff were evacuated early Friday.

We would like to thank Kelly Bartlett, Mick Geursen, and Shane Waddell for their outstanding dedication during this extraordinary crisis. They remained on site as long as possible and were the last to leave Hanson Bay. We are also very grateful to the CFS for their unceasing efforts.

The sanctuary and the cabins will be closed until further notice. Our thoughts and prayers are with all communities across the island, and across greater Australia.

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