CANBERRA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have developed a simple, low-cost way to help wildlife survive in the critical days and weeks after bushfires by delivering artificial nectar to animals struggling to find food.
The study provides a proof of concept showing that a wide range of native animals will readily use specially designed nectar feeders following a bushfire, according to a statement of Australia's Adelaide University released Wednesday.
The study, published in the Australian Journal of Zoology, tested specially designed "Stonor feeders," made from recycled bottles and small vials with tiny openings that release nectar when animals feed, it said.
The feeders, which are cheap, easy to assemble, and can be rapidly deployed in emergencies, proved effective across a surprising range of species, including western pygmy-possums, birds such as honeyeaters, and even marbled geckos, not previously known to feed on nectar.
Lead researcher Sophie Petit, associate professor at Adelaide University, said the concept was inspired by the 2019-2020 "Black Summer" bushfires, which burnt nearly half of Kangaroo Island in the state of South Australia and up to 88 percent of the habitat of the threatened little pygmy-possum.
"After fires, flowering plants can take years to recover, leaving nectar-feeding animals without a vital food source," Petit said.
The researchers cautioned that supplementary feeding must be carefully planned and monitored to avoid attracting dominant species and predators that could threaten vulnerable wildlife.
As climate change drives more frequent and intense wildfires, the team hopes their findings will inform future emergency response planning and may also help scientists detect surviving animals in fire-affected areas. ■