London (AFP)
Six-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton pledged $ 500,000 on Thursday to help the situation in Australia, where fires killed 26 people and killed a billion animals.
"I agree to donate 500,000 dollars (450,000 euros, editor's note) to help animals, volunteers who fight for wildlife and the local fire service," said the Briton on Twitter, inviting his millions of subscribers also donate.
"It breaks my heart to see the devastation that fires are causing to people and animals across the country," wrote Hamilton as the fires burnt down an area equivalent to the island of Ireland (about 80,000 km2. ) and destroyed more than 2,000 Australian homes.
The 35-year-old pilot accompanied his message with a video that went around the world on the internet showing a koala saved from the flames by residents.
The University of Sydney estimated in a statement released Monday that one billion animals had died, a figure that includes mammals, birds and reptiles, but not insects or invertebrates.
On an Instagram post, Hamilton, saying he was "deeply saddened," said "to mourn the death of these helpless animals, pushing some species more towards extinction".
Hamilton's gift is in addition to many others in the sports world, such as that of the nine Australian NBA basketball players who promised $ 750,000 or those of the Australian tenniswoman Ashleigh Barty and his compatriot and tennis player Nick Kyrgios.
© 2020 AFP