The WWF reported that approximately 143 million mammals, 2.46 billion reptiles, 180 million birds, and 51 million frogs were affected by the country's devastating bushfires. The fires ravaged more than 11 million hectares of land in the Australian southeast, which is about half the size of the United Kingdom. WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O'Gorman described it as one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history. University of Sydney project leader Lily Van Eeden stated that this research was the first of its kind, providing valuable insights for other nations facing similar bushfire impacts. The overall number of animals affected by the destruction of habitats has increased, as they are now facing a lack of food and shelter or the need to move to habitats already occupied. Researchers attribute the rise in animal casualties to their assessment of the total affected area, rather than just focusing on the most impacted states. Australia experienced one of its worst bushfire seasons from September 2019 to March 2020, with 34 human fatalities and nearly 3,000 homes lost due to the unusually dry conditions caused by years of drought.