Here’s Where You Should Donate To Help Animals Affected By The Bushfires In Australia

The bush fires in Australia are still going. After beginning in September, the crisis is now reaching what Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is calling a "new level." If you would like to give assistance in any way you can but aren't sure how to do it, here's how to help the animals in Australia, as any donation is helpful.

What started as a particularly early fire season, being called by some experts and civilians alike as a "historic event," during press conferences and discussions with reporters from publications such as The New York Times, many are still wondering why these fires began so early. Most experts are pointing to climate change as a major contributor to the raging fires, including some meteorologists. Whatever the cause, it's become a state of emergency, with the fires starting to flare up in September, and now sprawling into January.

Now the BBC says the Prime Minister has decided to bring in 3,000 reserve troops in order to help fight these fires harming the bush and the rainforests across Australia. What remains particularly concerning about these fires is their indiscriminate patterns, threatening rainforests, and wildlife inhabitants, along with the dry areas of the bush. With the Prime Minister deploying these troops, perhaps it will make a difference in combating the fires, which have to date killed 23 people, caused the death of an estimated 500 million animals, and destroyed 1,500 homes.

As of Saturday, Jan. 4, the BBC says the fires have increased. With 73 new fires starting, in addition to the 53 which were already burning, 13 of these fires are classified as emergencies. CBNC says Australia's government officials are estimating that nearly 30% of the koalas in New South Wales (NSW) have perished. While this is one of the most vulnerable animal species, other animals are also in great danger. Wildlife conservationist and advocate, Bindi Irwin, posted on Instagram to bring up the fact that her family's Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has been very busy since the fires, treating over 90,000 animals. Celebs like Selena Gomez and Pink posted to their Twitter accounts to spread awareness of donation centers.

To help these animals in crisis, you can donate to a few different places:

1. WIRES accepts donations via its emergency fund to help the NSW wildlife inhabitants.
2. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is asking for donations to share funds with other wildlife organizations across the regions of NSW, as the company has already raised over $2 million to aid koalas in the local area.
3. The Koalas in Care Facebook page is seeking donations to assist in its koala care.
4. The Rescue Collective and Animal Rescue Freecycle and Support are taking donations here to help provide animals with medicine, water, and food to help keep animals in burned areas alive.
5. Donate to fire services, as the firefighters are what Australia needs to extinguish the fires, thus aiding the animals, as well as the people affected. You can see a more extensive list here. Three places to donate are:

• The NSW Rural Fire Service, benefiting volunteer firefighters.
• The County Fire Authority's Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund, which assists the area of Victoria in its pursuits to combat the fires.
• The County Fire Service in South Australia also assists volunteer firefighters with its funds.

Any sort of assistance helps combat the fires' devastation and effects on wildlife throughout Australia, even small amounts.