Wildfires or bushfires exempt no one and just a few years ago, Australia got into a bushfire that affected more than 60,000 koalas.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia, more than 41,000 koalas on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island, more than 11,000 in Victoria, nearly 8,000 in NSW, and nearly 900 in Queensland.
The bushfire incident left koalas dead and some with injury, trauma, smoke inhalation, heat stress, dehydration, loss of habitat, reduced food supply, increased predation risk, and conflict with other animals after fleeing to unburnt forests.
“Sixty thousand koalas impacted is a deeply disturbing number for a species already in trouble. That’s why WWF has just announced Koalas Forever – a bold vision to double the number of koalas in eastern Australia by 2050,” said WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman. “Koalas Forever includes a trial of seed-dispersing drones to create koala corridors and the establishment of a fund to encourage landowners to create koala safe havens.”
These poor koalas need our help more than ever.
In fact, these adorable needs us even on a regular day such as this.
One day in a quiet area in Byron Bay, Australia, a resident stumbled upon an extraordinary sight during her routine of feeding the chickens.
A koala had become entangled in the chicken coop fence, tightly wrapped in nylon.
Witnessing the animal’s struggle, the woman wasted not a single second and took immediate action. Armed with a pair of scissors, she returned to the fence to free the distressed koala.
Recounting the incident, she shared, “We woke early one morning to find this little fella wrapped up in the nylon fencing we use around our chicken pen.”
Carefully reaching for the koala, the rescuer carefully cut the nylon entwined around its body. Throughout the rescue process, the koala remained surprisingly calm and behaved impeccably as the woman snipped and cut around it.
It’s as if the koala knew the woman was there to help.
Reassuringly, she held the animal with utmost care, saying, “It’s okay my baby, we’re going to fix this for you. I’ve got you, try not to struggle.”
The woman’s comforting words appeared effective, as the koala patiently waited. While the rescuer successfully freed the koala’s arms, the animal exhibited distress when she attempted to release its feet.
Although faced with fears of being bitten by the distressed koala, she minded not one bit and continued to help the poor animal.
However, before the woman could even address the rope around its feet, the koala managed to free itself from the nylon and joyfully scampered off to the nearby bushes.
The woman, delighted to have assisted, captured the entire event on film that morning.
The heartwarming footage of the koala’s rescue was uploaded online, where viewers witnessed the woman’s compassionate intervention despite lacking professional expertise. The inspiring message that anyone can be an animal rescuer resonated with many.
The video quickly went viral, amassing over 3.8 million views on YouTube. Despite the potential risks posed by the wild animal, the woman’s decision to help earned her the approval of more than a million viewers who appreciated her selfless act.
Press the play button below to see the heartwarming rescue video.
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