Australia & Climate - An Extraordinary Time

Climate & Australia : is having an extraordinary time at the moment and the last year has been overwhelming. It seems each day when reading the current news there is another climate associated disaster in this "sunburnt country". I have seen some of these occurrences, firsthand, such as the migration of the Bairnsdale flying foxes and heat stress deaths in 2013.

I vividly remember bush fires and floods when growing up in Australia but the intensity and frequency of climate related disasters seems to have increased drastically today. Here is a brief overview of some of the major climate related disasters in Australia during 2018 and into early 2019. Please note some of the photos in a few of the articles are not suitable for young or sensitive people.

2013 The new “colour purple” temperature map for Australia — 2013 The new “colour deep purple” temperature map for Australia - Bureau of Meterology

No Rain then Drought & Heatwaves

Drought - "the worst in living memory" - In Australia's winter, August 2018, one of my brothers spent a week in Broken Hill, New South Wales, and saw first hand the devastation. Both domestic animals and wildlife died in the thousands struggling to survive without food and water. My brother has been a farmer in Australia all his life and to quote him he has "never seen anything like it in his life - shocking"
Another mass wildlife "dying event" during the drought early in February 2018 was in Western Australia. "Millions" of kangaroos and other species died from lack of water and food. The event repeated itself in coming months in various other areas of Australia.
The ongoing drought and lack of rain and low river water levels were also part of the reason for the massive fish kill in the Darling River at Menindee. in December 2018 and January 2019. Another cause of this "national natural disaster" was stated as "water management issues". This was an overwhelming event with an estimated one million or more fish, some 100 years old, killed in the river. The fish died from lack of oxygen: see full explanation in the previous link above (4 minute video).
Here is the complete report on this catastrophic incident by the Australian Academy of Science - "Fish Kills" in Menindee, NSW in February, 2019.
The majestic Flying Fox bats were decimated, due to Heat Waves in several areas in Australia. Other events occurred in : Adelaide, South Australia (Jan, 2019) , Queensland (Nov 2018) and New South Wales, and in Victoria.

"45,500 flying foxes dead on just one extremely hot day
in southeast Queensland, according to our new research"
~ Dr Justin Welbergen, Western Sydney University

BC wildfires courtesy globalnews.ca — BC wildfires 2017 courtesy globalnews.ca

After the Drought - Fires

2018 Australian Wildfires: From January 1 to December 21, 2018, there were 55,911 wildfires, compared to 64,610 wildfires in the same period in 2017, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. About 8.6 million acres were burned in the 2018 period, compared with 9.6 million in 2017.

Bush fire "season" is an annual concern in Australia. This past summer fires of note occurred in Tasmania and Gippsland, Victoria.

"For the first time ever we'll introduce restrictions in Gippsland as early as September," he said. "That will take us right through to potentially April next year, so start early, finish late." Fire Authorities, ABC News

After the Wildfires - Floods

State of Disaster in Townsville Floods (Summer January / February 2019)
Video: State of Emergency in North Queensland due to torrential rain
November, 2018, More "Flash Floods in Sydney, NSW Sadly three people lost their lives during this "epic" storm

As species are exterminated by shifting climate zones,
ecosystems can collapse,
destroying more species.
~ James Hansen

We saw multitudes of fish, corals, birds & several turtles. The coral did not have the bright red & pinks or brilliant orange & yellows. — Great Barrier Reef, near Cairns, Queensland

Other Climate Related News

Polluted Flood waters flow into the Great Barrier Reef "Australia's Great Barrier Reef Inundated by Queensland Flood Plumes". The Weather Channel, February, 2019
Government approves dumping of industrial sludge "One million tons of sludge to be dumped into the Great Barrier Reef". BBC News, February, 2019
Air quality a concern after dust storm "Australia dust storm: "Health warning as skies change colour" - BBC News, November, 2018
Species changing habitats for various reasons including survival - "Climate Change and Distribution Shifts in Marine Fishes". Report by Allison L. Perry, Paula J. Low, Jim R. Ellis, John D. Reynolds
Bogong Moth decline: Droughts & hot weather are thought to be the reason for the decline of billions of moths. This also effects the endangered mountain pygmy possum "The Collapse of Australia's migratory Moth could take Beloved Tiny Marsupials with it".
Jellyfish infestation possibly connected to heatwaves & warming waters "13,000 Jellyfish Stings Prompt Australian Officials to Declare 'Epidemic'". January 2019
Koalas are endangered as their habitat disappears due to droughts, fires, floods, logging and urbanization. Detailed information on the "Save the Koala" website below.

Quote: There is a common misconception that Koalas get 'drugged out' or 'high' on eucalyptus leaves and that's why they sleep a lot. ... They need more sleep than most animals because eucalyptus leaves contain toxins and are very low in nutrition and high in fibrous matter so they take a large amount of energy to digest.
~ Save the Koala

Koala sleeping in local gum tree, Adelaide, South Australia

In closing ...

Unfortunately, Australia is not alone and globally there are unprecedented natural disasters happening in other countries. Similar or worse disasters resulted in tragic loss of human life and huge economic and other "burdens".

Globally, there are also skyrocketing costs to rebuild, such as from Hurricane Katrina (2005) at an estimated cost of $125 billion.
Puerto Rico is struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria in 2018. In 2018 the Top 10 disaster costs worldwide are estimated at $110 billion.
The "costs" to the environment are impossible to calculate and will last many decades.

There is no way these destructive occurrences can be ignored. This, sadly is only the tip of the proverbial "iceberg". I hope this article has made you aware of the climate disasters elsewhere in the world, not only in Australia.

Australia is a very large country, similar in size to Canada, with a great diversity of climate and geography. This article only includes some events and mostly focuses on the effects to the environment and species. In Climate 2015 I wrote the following :

Re: Climate change and global warming
~ I believe we can make a difference
by tweeting, writing, talking and doing!
... and tell a friend!