According to the WWF, around 143 million mammals, 2.46 billion reptiles, 180 million birds, and 51 million frogs were affected by the severe bushfires in Australia. Initially, the WWF had estimated the number of affected animals at 1.25 billion while the fires were still ongoing. The fires ravaged over 11 million hectares of land in the Australian southeast, which is approximately half the size of the United Kingdom. WWF-Australia's CEO, Dermot O'Gorman, described this as one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history. The research conducted by Lily Van Eeden from the University of Sydney is the first of its kind to analyze the impact of bushfires on animals across the continent, and it can be used by other countries to enhance their understanding of bushfire impacts worldwide. The overall number of animals impacted by destroyed habitats has increased, leading to a lack of food and shelter or the need to relocate to already occupied habitats. Researchers attribute the rise in animal casualties to a broader assessment of the affected area, rather than just focusing on the most affected states. Australia experienced one of its worst bushfire seasons from September 2019 to March 2020, resulting in 34 human fatalities and the destruction of nearly 3,000 homes.