New South Wales in Australia, the home of the notorious Yowie, has been burning since September. Each year, wildfires happen all over the world, especially in Australia, but this season has been particularly horrific. Considering only New South Wales, and not the rest of Australia, 16 million acres have burned, thousands of homes have been destroyed, billions of people and animals have been affected. Let’s make these numbers more relatable:

If this happened in the United States, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New Hampshire would all currently be on fire. The equivalent of every U.S. cow would be dead; every deer, bear, and bison would have perished; all cats, both feral and domesticated, would cease to exist; every dog and domesticated rabbit, gone. This is only one section of Australia.

What this means for Yowie…

It’s possible Yowie didn’t make it. With a lack of widely publicized sightings recently, no burnt bodies found, and no reports of animals with their heads torn off, there is no confirmation that the Australian cryptid survived.

The best outcome for Yowie is that he managed to get out prior to the outbreak. Yowie has been sighted all over Australia throughout the years, so him travelling to another less-impacted area is not out of the question. Theories of his survival involve sensing the fires and leaving, travelling faster than the fire to escape, and interdimensional travel.

The good news is that, on January 28, The Guardian reported that 60 Mount Kaputar slugs have been identified as surviving the fires. These slugs live only on Mount Kaputar in New South Wales and are easily identifiable by their bright pink color. This indicates that, despite massive habitat destruction, some non-migratory species are holding out. That said, if Yowie is still in the area, he faces a destroyed habitat and a lack of food, water, and shelter.

Photo Credit: Jim McLean

As a result of the bushfires, Yowie sightings may become more common. Known as timid at times and aggressive at other times, this cryptid may wander closer than ever to cities in search of food, water, or even shelter. Despite the tragic bushfires raging in the Outback, it may actually help us find Yowie.

If you are able to help those affected by the Australia bushfires donations can be sent to the Australian Red Cross.