There are grave concerns for populations of platypus, brush tailed rock wallabies and many, many others. It would seem that the entire distribution area of some species has been burnt out. Despite the news coverage I doubt the true extent of the environmental impact will be fully understood for years to come.

We have received many calls asking how to help the wildlife impacted by this devastating event. More of that below.

However, by flying into the fire zones and picking up burning or smouldering sticks and dropping them into other grassland areas nearby they would start new fires and extend the fire and feeding zone. Fleeing prey are easy pickings of these tool deploying raptors. The phenomenon has been reported in NSW, WA, Qld and up in the NT. You can google ornithologist Bob Gosford who has written on the subject to find out more.

I have read somewhere that maybe the phoenix myth arose from observations of nesting flamingos that will build a nest just above the water line in very dry briny salt lakes where the intense summer heat and shimmering haze would not look unlike a nest built within a fire.

WIRES is an abbreviation for NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc. They are the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia. Established over 30 years ago their mission is to "actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same."

With 2,500 volunteers at 28 branches WIRES plays a major role in assisting carers and the general public with wildlife rescue support.

In recent weeks they have had massive media exposure due to the ongoing wildlife crisis relating to the bushfire situation affecting not only NSW but also QLD, SA, Kangaroo Island and beyond. In an average year WIRES would get several hundred thousand visitors to their website. In the last couple of days that has been over 1 million. The fires have drawn global interest and sympathy. I only hope they can adequately cope with both the huge sums of money donated and the amount of wildlife care equipment sent their way, everything from joey pouches to special milk formulas. We here at humble Animal Ark have had several calls relating to the crisis, one call from the United States with a business wanting to donate wildlife burn medications but not sure who would be an appropriate contact. I gave them both WIRES and Mogo Zoo (right in the middle of one fire zone) as potential recipients.

So, if you’re looking for a way to support wildlife affected by these fires, WIRES is probably a good way to start. However, do not forget Kanyana and Native Arc, both excellent wildlife care organisations here in WA, no doubt also dealing with animals impacted by our own WA fires, as are many other individuals, small organizations and small scale wildlife carers.

www.wires.org.au

www.kanyanawildlife.org.au

www.nativearc.org.au

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But there are 9 different families, 60 genera and over 600 species so far named. North America has the greatest diversity of species, but they may also be found in North Africa, Europe and Asia. They inhabit cloud forests, streams, lakes, rivers and mainly favour a humid environment. Australasia however has no native tailed amphibians at all.

Most are small, measuring less that 15cm in length, and many newts are smaller still. I’ve been lucky enough to have kept many as pets over the years and spent much of my youth in France searching wooded mossy places for fire salamanders, and anything else I could find. Our garden pond in London had 3 species of newts including the rare and rather splendid great crested newt (Triturus cristatus). Some newts and salamanders are great beauties with vivid colours, many are just brown grey, black and distinctively dull.

Their diversity is just huge, the largest is the amazing Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) at a whopping 1.8 meters length. The smallest is a Mexican tree climbing pygmy salamander (Thorius arboreus) which averages just 17.2mm in length. .

All are carnivores, taking insects, worms, fish, tadpoles and no doubt a huge variety of other small prey items. One of the most remarkable of all (and available as a pet in Australia) is the aquatic axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). It is a very strange creature. A neotenic amphibian (it never grows up) it is an unmetamorphosed larvae, so it stays in its tadpole like form all its life. It can also regenerate tissue, damaged limbs such as entire legs, bones, flesh and all can regrow.

Most reproduce annually and after courtship and mating eggs are laid. Some species lay several hundred eggs. A couple of species including the fire salamander produce live young. Many creatures prey on salamanders Their life span is usually short averaging a few years but some can live for 55 years.