Australia drops more than 4K pounds of food from helicopters to help hungry wallabies

Australia is dropping thousands of pounds of food across some areas impacted by the wildfires that devastated the nation in an effort to help the wallaby population, the New South Wales environment department announced Sunday. 

More than 4,000 pounds of carrots and sweet potatoes are being delivered by aerial food drops to aid the endangered brush-tailed rock wallabies. 

Last week more than 2,000 pounds were sent to six different colonies in the Capertee and Wolgan valleys, and an additional 2,000 pounds was sent to five sites in Yengo National Park. About 200 pounds was delivered in the Kangaroo Valley, with drops also taking place in Jenolan, Oxley Wild Rivers and Curracubundi national parks, the government said. 

This is the most widespread food drop the government has ever done for the brush-tailed rock wallabies, New South Wales Minister for Energy and Environment Matt Kean said in the statement.

“The wallabies typically survive the fire itself, but are then left stranded with limited natural food as the fire takes out the vegetation around their rocky habitat,” Kean said. 

“The wallabies were already under stress from the ongoing drought, making survival challenging for the wallabies without assistance,” he added. 

He said cameras are also being set up to monitor the uptake of food and the number and variety of animals. 

The massive fires have greatly impacted the wildlife population in Australia.

The World Wildlife Fund in Australia estimates that 1.25 billion animals have died due to the fires. At least 26 people have died and over 2,000 homes have been lost in the fires.