Government to commit $50m for wildlife affected by bushfires as green groups call for action

Announcement comes after conservation groups wrote to environment minister Sussan Ley expressing concern for at least 13 animal species

The Morrison government will pledge $50m to help rescue and protect wildlife affected by the bushfire crisis, with a promise of more to come, as environment groups warn some species may have already been driven to extinction.

The commitment, to be drawn from the government's $2bn bushfire recovery fund, will be described as a downpayment to be spent immediately on priorities in burned areas and to start longer-term restoration of lost habitat.