A South Australian charity raised $2.6 million this year through a GoFundMe page, making it the nation’s top campaign for 2020, Perth Now reports.
The “Help Save Kangaroo Island’s Koalas and Wildlife” page smashed its initial target of $15,000 by raising more than $2.6 million.
If fact, the top five GoFundMe campaigns in South Australia were all related to Kangaroo Island and the 2019-20 bushfires.
Dana and Sam Mitchell, who have been married for six years, own the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park and turned the rescue centre into a charity.
The money raised has helped care for the wildlife by establishing a triage and treatment centre, allowing ongoing treatments and vet care and supplying medications and milk formula.
Mrs Mitchell said the couple felt humbled by the donations.
“The donations not only helped us fund the bushfire rescue operation but also establish infrastructure and purchase a conservation property.
“Going forward, the donations we have and continue to receive will help us rescue, rehabilitate and conserve wildlife that comes in needing treatment and raising.
“It will also help us support multiple university-based research projects focusing on Kangaroo Island koalas that will help us gain a better understanding around some of the challenges and conditions they face and safeguard their species in the future.”
Ms Mitchell said about 650 koalas and about 150 other animals like kangaroos, wallabies, possums and birds were in their care after the fires.
“We’ve now had 250 go back to the wild and had a survival rate of 40 per cent, which was amazing,” she said.
FULL STORY
Kangaroo Island bushfire charity Australia’s most successful GoFundMe campaign (Perth Now)
PHOTO
Help save Kangaroo Islands Koalas and wildlife (GoFundMe)
Emily CosenzaNCA NewsWire
December 9, 2020 2:58PM
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