(CNN) One third of land on an Australian island that is a refuge for some of the country's unique and endangered wildlife has been scorched by raging bushfires, NASA satellite images show.

The extent of fire damage to Kangaroo Island in the state of South Australia was captured by NASA's Terra satellite on Tuesday. The devastation can be clearly seen, with brown burn scars and active fires where lush greenery once stood.

NASA estimates that 155,000 hectares (600 square miles) of the island has been consumed by fires, calling it "an ecological tragedy".

Lying off Australia's southern coast, Kangaroo Island is famous for its pristine wilderness. It contains protected nature reserves teeming with native wildlife, such as sea lions, koalas and diverse bird species.

The island is home to the endangered Kangaroo Island dunnart -- a small marsupial found only on the island -- and the glossy black cockatoo, which have been brought back from the brink of extinction over the past two decades.