Twelve days after fire crews conducted a prescribed burn in an Australian forest, researchers discovered something alarming.
All of the charred reptile carcasses that had littered the ground had “vanished”.
The Adelaide University scientists believe the bodies were likely taken by scavengers like foxes, cats, and birds.
The findings have huge implications because they suggest the toll on wildlife has likely been underestimated.
Lead author Dr Shawn Scott said to get an accurate picture of the impact of burns, surveys need to be conducted “immediately after” it’s completed.
“If people allow days or weeks to pass before surveying, they risk dramatically underestimating the number of animals killed,” he said.
Why Aussie forests are burned
Prescribed burns are conducted by state authorities to reduce fuel loads, which they say reduces the risk of severe bushfires.
Climate change is likely to increase the frequency of events akin to the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires, which killed billions of animals and trillions of invertebrates.
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The Adelaide University researchers documented each of the lizards found charred after prescribed burns.
(Australian Journal of Taxonomy)
But there is mounting evidence, particularly from the Australian National University, that the process has a limited or even counterproductive impact, depending on the terrain, forest type and severity of the burn.
Earlier this year, scientists warned that Victorian authorities may lack the expertise to avoid the habitat of some rare and endangered reptiles before conducting planned burns.
The new research, published in the Australian Journal of Zoology, argues that survey practices in South Australia need to be refined to better understand the true impact of burns.
Although the team notes that conducting any post-fire monitoring is rare, data about wildlife mortalities is unavailable in most Australian regions.
Startling reality 28 hours after burn
The Adelaide University research wasn’t limited to just one survey.
Between 2022 and 2024, the team recorded 27 dead lizards from four species at 10 sites around Mount Lofty, east of Adelaide.
More than half the lizards killed were gone within just 28 hours, and none were found after eight days.
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Co-author Associate Professor Sophie Petit warned that just like any other fire, prescribed burns kill wildlife.
“It’s a fantasy to think that all animals escape and live happily ever after,” she said.
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