{"id":55329,"date":"2026-07-21T14:24:33","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T14:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/55329\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T14:24:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T14:24:33","slug":"alarm-after-27-bodies-disappear-from-charred-aussie-bushland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/55329\/","title":{"rendered":"Alarm after 27 bodies disappear from charred Aussie bushland"},"content":{"rendered":"

Twelve days after fire crews conducted a prescribed burn<\/a> in an Australian forest, researchers discovered something alarming.<\/p>\n

All of the charred reptile carcasses that had littered the ground had “vanished”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Adelaide University scientists believe the bodies were likely taken by scavengers like foxes, cats,<\/a> and birds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The findings have huge implications because they suggest the toll on wildlife has likely been underestimated.<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“If people allow days or weeks to pass before surveying, they risk dramatically underestimating the number of animals killed,” he said.<\/p>\n

Why Aussie forests are burned<\/p>\n

Prescribed burns are conducted by state authorities to reduce fuel loads, which they say reduces the risk of severe bushfires.<\/p>\n

Climate change<\/a>\u00a0is likely to increase the frequency of events akin to the 2019\/2020 Black Summer bushfires, which\u00a0killed billions of animals<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0trillions of invertebrates.<\/a><\/p>\n

Have you been impacted by a fire? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Six<\/p>\n

The Adelaide University researchers documented each of the lizards found charred after prescribed burns.<\/p>\n

(Australian Journal of Taxonomy)<\/p>\n

But there is mounting evidence, particularly from the Australian National University,<\/a> that the process has a limited or even counterproductive impact, depending on the terrain, forest type and severity of the burn.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, scientists warned that Victorian authorities may lack the expertise to avoid the habitat of some rare and endangered reptiles<\/a> before conducting planned burns.<\/p>\n

The new research, published in the Australian Journal of Zoology,<\/a> argues that survey practices in South Australia need to be refined to better understand the true impact of burns.<\/p>\n

Although the team notes that conducting any post-fire monitoring is rare, data about wildlife mortalities is unavailable in most Australian regions.<\/p>\n

Startling reality 28 hours after burn<\/p>\n

The Adelaide University research wasn’t limited to just one survey.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Between 2022 and 2024, the team recorded 27 dead lizards from four species at 10 sites around Mount Lofty, east of Adelaide.<\/p>\n

More than half the lizards killed were gone within just 28 hours, and none were found after eight days.<\/p>\n

RELATED<\/p>\n

Co-author Associate Professor Sophie Petit warned that just like any other fire, prescribed burns kill wildlife.<\/p>\n

“It’s a fantasy to think that all animals escape and live happily ever after,” she said.<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n