As bushfires burnt through the native forests of eastern Victoria in the black summer of 2019-20, the state’s zoo staff watched nervously, knowing many native animals were in danger.

In Mallacoota, a significant number of injured animals were rescued from the fire zones – including injured koalas found beside roads – and taken to veterinary hospitals at the Healesville, Melbourne and Werribee zoos.

“We realised pretty quickly that, while we had space for two or three koalas, when there was an emergency with 15 or 20 koalas coming in, we didn’t have a lot of facilities to handle them. The number of animals [was] quite overwhelming,” said Zoos Victoria chief executive officer Dr Jenny Gray.

And it wasn’t just koalas. Many birds and reptiles were also found heat-stressed or injured, and suffering from a lack of water and food. It was estimated nearly three billion animals were killed or displaced by that summer’s devastating bushfires.

Zoos Victoria is now better equipped to respond to such a wildlife emergency. It has a new wildlife ambulance, upgraded hospital facilities and has appointed a health and welfare specialist; all made possible by the $3.3 million donated to the RSPCA’s public bushfire appeal.

Dr Gray said that generosity would benefit native wildlife across a wide geographical area affected by natural disasters, such as bushfire, drought, storms and flooding.

“This investment in Victoria’s wildlife welfare emergency approach will transform the way we respond to surges in demand,” Dr Gray said.

“It will allow more animals in need to receive immediate care, particularly during emergency events, which we know will be more likely as climate change continues to increase the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, like we saw in the Black Summer bushfires.”