Experts from the Australian Government Scientific and Applied Research Organization (CSIRO) discovered that quokkas have learned to avoid planned burning of forest vegetation, thus making the job of bushfire services easier. The study was published on: Web site CSIRO.
Quokkas are small marsupial mammals belonging to the kangaroo family that live in parts of Australia. Quokkas are a vulnerable species because they are almost completely defenseless against foxes, cats and other common predators.
The scientific team observed quokkas living in the Northern Jarrah Forest on the southwestern coast of the Australian continent. Scientists used GPS collars to track the animals’ movements.
It turns out that quokkas remember controlled burn zones and stay away from them for an average of three months after a planned fire. Three months later, the marsupials returned, but spent only 2% of their time on the outskirts of the burned areas.
According to researchers, people need to create safe areas and shelters for animals damaged by planned fires.
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