Australians have experienced devastating wild fires throughout all of their country, certain areas much more so than others. Volunteer fire fighters from several countries have helped.

Upwards of 20 million acres destroyed, thousands of homes and many human lives lost.

A high number of wild critters lost, estimated to be one billion. Specifically species of wildlife loss, it must be remembered that the forgoing number is only a simple estimate. Twenty million acres times fifty average number of critters per acre certainly calculates to one billion.

However, hope remains in the survival instinct of those critters, running and flying away from death-dispensing fires. If circumstance in any situation was right for those escaping animals, perhaps many survived.

A much more careful scientific measurement should be made; i.e. statistically measured and realizing that final numbers may be higher. Yet hope remains that actual loss is smaller. Hope is a huge consolation to us humans. That is how hope works. Without hope, what does one have?

Probably animals do not have hope, but they do have legs and wings. Run and fly, Donald, Mickey and Bambi, and stay well. With hope, stay well.