fan4collingwood 
Joined: 17 May 2002
Location: Seaford Rise , Adelaide SA Australia
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| Post subject: Kangaroo Island's wild animals seek sanctuary with humans |  |
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This is a beautiful story of survival.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22918116-5006301,00.html
Kangaroo Island's wild animals seek sanctuary with humans
| Quote: | HANSON Bay Sanctuary has become a Noah's Ark for wildlife fleeing the bushfires devastating Kangaroo Island.
Dozens of usually people-shy koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, lizards and snakes and birds are taking shelter on the 4000ha sanctuary as fires continue to rage out of control at the nearby Flinders Chase National Park and Vivonne Bay.
Sanctuary managers Greg and Evelyn Keyes have been hand feeding the wild kangaroos and wallabies, which even hop into their downstairs office.
The feed bill on the privately owned sanctuary has increased four-fold , the wildlife experts scraping the bottom of the barrel to keep all the animals alive.
"Normally they have a bit of fear but there was no fear at all," Greg said. "It's as if they know you want to help. It's almost like you've got a communication going with the animals.
"It gives you a real thrill because you know you're doing something good."
The Keyes said probably 200 Cape Barron geese and ibis descended on the sanctuary's cleared evacuation point on Monday night, when the fires were at their peak.
Thousands of insects and scorpions were seen crossing the main road to escape the burning undergrowth.
Thick, black smoke billowed from the national park, just a few kilometres from the sanctuary, on Monday and the Keyes were told by the CFS to prepare to evacuate.
They opened the gates at the sanctuary's 4.5km endangered species enclosure to allow some of Kangaroo Island's rare animals slip to safety - but not before several fear-crazed western grey kangaroos charged the fence and broke through the fence.
Greg is a former Victorian policeman who helped fight the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983 and Evelyn said they had activated a bushfire plan.
They plan to stay even if a wind change pushes the flames into the sanctuary, not just to save the buildings but also the needy wildlife.
"These animals depend on us; if we're not here they've got no one," she said. "When you see at night all these wild animals come up to you and eat out of your hand you know that what you're doing is right. I think we're making a significant difference."
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And a huge thanks from this South Aussie to all the interstate fire fighters that have come over to help with this fire that was started by Lightning strikes a week ago.
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Kaylene.
Member of the SA Magpies, http://samagpies.magpies.net
Official Supporters’ Group of the Collingwood Football Club |
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