COLUMBUS – The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is chipping in to help wildlife threatened by devastating wildfires in Australia.
The zoo is designating $10,000 from its emergency grants fund to donate to Zoos Victoria’s Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund, president and CEO Tom Stalf announced Thursday.
“Our hearts go out to the people and wildlife of Australia, and we continue to follow the situation closely while remaining in regular communication with our Australian colleagues and wildlife conservation partners,” Stalf said.
If you would like to contribute to the Columbus Zoo’s conservation fund, please visit https://t.co/777ziE0Guf. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium President/CEO Tom Stalf also issued this update about the situation: https://t.co/vS69gSEO1F. 2/2
— Columbus Zoo (@ColumbusZoo) January 9, 2020
The director of Zoos Victoria says the fire grounds are too dangerous for personnel enter and search for injured animals but Stalf says Zoos Victoria team is providing care to many animals brought in from the fire-ravaged area and will continue to treat the injured animals during the long-term recovery process.
The Columbus zoo supports over 100 conservation projects worldwide, including contributions to conservation of Australian wildlife through a partnership with the San Diego Zoo, and donations to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and the Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Warriors, Stalf said.
Thousands of people are fleeing their homes and helicopters are dropping supplies to towns at risk of wildfires as hot, windy conditions threaten already the heavily damaged southeastern Australian communities.
The danger is centered on Australia’s most populous states, including coastal towns that lost homes in earlier fires. Fire officials say wildfires are holding within containment lines so far, but a strong shift in winds is predicted later.
The New South Wales premier said the extent of any damage from the fires wouldn’t be known until Saturday morning and that it would be a long and difficult night.