![Swamp wallaby and joey. Picture by Mandy Turner. Swamp wallaby and joey. Picture by Mandy Turner.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/96dc0047-f179-4a17-8108-7ec6e0a983c2.jpg/r0_83_1620_997_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A University of Sydney study is researching the effects of wildlife provisioning after the Black Summer Bushfires.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Sydney, Dr Sam Finnerty watched on with thousands of Australians as "horrific" images of animals and wildlife flashed across her television screen during Black Summer.
"The general public was really exposed to images of, for example, dead and dying kangaroos and koalas," she said.
"People turned to providing food and water to wildlife in the wild."
The ecologist saw water, carrots and other food left for wildlife in natural environments, even dropped from helicopters as the flames receded.
"This helped people feel like they were assisting, but we don't know a lot about if this is a beneficial practice or not," she said.
"For the ecology and ongoing health of habitats, we don't know if the pros outweigh the cons."
She said there was a "gap in the knowledge" about how humans could best support wildlife after extreme events such as the Black Summer bushfires.
At the time, ecological experts came together to recommend steps for the public, such as where to leave food, what types of food and what animals you should feed.
"There was no real research to base these decisions on," Dr Finnerty said.
![Brush-tailed rock-wallaby joey. Picture by Paul Fahy. Brush-tailed rock-wallaby joey. Picture by Paul Fahy.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/baaf615f-b1b7-41d0-b487-a98432543c14.jpg/r0_0_720_1079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Filling the gap in knowledge
Dr Finnerty is hoping to fill this gap through a research study, aiming to provide an evidence base for making decisions regarding supporting wildlife and the environment after future emergencies.
"We want to know, for example, what food is appropriate for animals and how it should be delivered as well as what motivated people to undertake feeding activities," she said.
"It is important to know what the consequences of those actions really are.
"Now that the bushfire emergency has passed, there is an urgent need for the development of appropriate evidence-based protocols about the risks, benefits, and animal welfare outcomes of wildlife provisioning so that future disaster-response can be well-informed."
Her team and collaborators are undertaking field studies and a survey - funded by WIRES and RSPCA Australia - to try to understand what happened during and after Black Summer, and how animals responded.
READ MORE:
Dr Finnerty is asking members of the public who participated in wildlife provisioning during or after the bushfires to fill in her survey.
Additionally, the Wildlife Assist app allows users to log where they put feeding and water stations during the event so the information is stored in one place.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Sydney, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, University of New England and RSPCA Australia.
Complete the survey here: sydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1zTaCY8GgH9jRIi