At least 350 koalas killed in Australian bush fire

Australia has had a fierce early start to the bushfire season. The blaze at the Lake Innes Nature Reserve already destroyed two-thirds of its koalas' habitat, Australia's SBS reports.

A firefighter works as a bushfire, believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike that has ravaged an area of over 2,000 hectares in northern New South Wales state, burns in Port Macquarie on November 2, 2019. Hundreds of koalas are feared to have burned to death in an out-of-control bushfire on Australia's east coast, wildlife authorities said October 30. [Photo: VCG]

Koala Conservation Australia estimates the fires have killed 350 koalas so far, which isa huge blow to a reserve that houses a total population of around 500 to 600 koalas.

A dehydrated and injured Koala receives treatment at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie on November 2, 2019, after its rescue from a bushfire that has ravaged an area of over 2,000 hectares. Hundreds of koalas are feared to have burned to death in an out-of-control bushfire on Australia's east coast, wildlife authorities said October 30. [Photo: VCG]

The Conservation's president Sue Ashton fears that they are"losing the battle to keep the population" because "we're losing them at a much faster rate than they're breeding." Her rescue centre is going to "take as many koalas" as they can.

A dehydrated and injured Koala receives treatment at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie on November 2, 2019, after its rescue from a bushfire that has ravaged an area of over 2,000 hectares. Hundreds of koalas are feared to have burned to death in an out-of-control bushfire on Australia's east coast, wildlife authorities said October 30. [Photo: VCG]

"We think if we don't take them and they're out there at risk, we could lose all of them." Ashton told SBS.

Koalas' food source is also affected by the fire.