Here's how to help Australia: Rescue and recovery groups seek donations for animals impacted by Australia wildfires
A wallaby licks its burnt paws after escaping a bush fire on Nov. 12, 2019 near the township of Nana Glen on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. (Photo by Wolter Peeters/The Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images)
GERMANTOWN, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - As the devastating bushfires tear through Australia, the country’s animals are among those being severely impacted.
WWF Australia estimates 1.25 billion wild animals have died, along with about 100,000 livestock losses.
DOWNLOAD: The FOX 5 DC News app for local breaking news
The organization fears the disaster could lead to the extinction of some species, such as the glossy black cockatoo or a small kangaroo known as the long-footed potoroo.
The majority of losses are reptiles, followed by birds, and then mammals such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and wombats.
RELATED: Leonardo DiCaprio's Earth Alliance foundation to donate $3 million to Australia fire relief
They’ve suffered everything from smoke inhalation to burns.
“The bats and birds are literally falling out of the trees from smoke and from the heat and rescuers are completely overloaded at this point," Cassidy Jagger, the owner of education and outreach facility Roos2U in Germantown, Maryland, said.
RELATED: Koala-sniffing dog aids in 15 wildlife rescues as Australian bushfires ravage habitats
Currently, response teams are in crisis mode, but experts say it’ll take many more years for the region to recover.
In the United States, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and its members like the Smithsonian National Zoo, are actively engaged in the recovery process.
RELATED: US firefighters applauded as they arrive in Australia to battle wildfires
“Long term there are a number of challenges ahead of us and that includes breeding these species so we can reestablish populations, recovering habitat and really assessing what the overall impacts are. We have a long road ahead of us," AZA’s executive vice president, Craig Hoover, said.
If you’re looking to help, experts say, financial donations will make the biggest impact. Below, you’ll find a list of reliable organizations doing rescue and recovery work in the area: