The world loves kangaroos and koalas. Now we are watching them die in droves | Elle Hunt

Australia's cherished native fauna is a symbol of a wild continent unlike any on Earth. As millions perish in bushfires, we all grieveTheir bodies lie piled up by the side of the road, barely visible through the ochre haze: dozens, maybe hundreds of kangaroos that tried to outrun the flames and perished, in their droves, in the attempt. The scene, filmed from a car on the way to Batlow, New South Wales, resembles a battlefield after a bungled campaign: wildlife versus wildfire, and the victor is abundantly clear.Australia is burning. At least 23 people have died since October and with much of the continent still ablaze, despite the fact bushfire season is not expected to peak until February, that number is likely to climb. The scale of the devastation - entire towns wiped out, thousands sheltering on the beach to await military evacuation by sea - is hard to overestimate. Continue reading...