We've seen so many devastating images out of Australia in recent months, since this season’s bushfires took over. A massive part of the continent has been engulfed in flames for weeks now. As a result, people have lost their homes and human lives have been lost, as well as millions of animal lives.
Over 32,000 square miles of land have been blackened by the flames, and many animals species are suffering severely as a result. It's pretty devastating reality, but the truth is, Australia will be seeing repercussions from these fires for years to come. Koalas in particular have perished in massive numbers in the flames.
But luckily there are a ton of people on the ground making efforts to save the animals that can be saved. Many koalas have been brought to rehab centers, with the hopes that they can overcome their injuries. Now we're seeing that the Australian Army is stepping in to help, and in all of the devastating images we've seen, we're getting a glimpse of some uplifting ones.
The Australian Army has been sharing lots of photos from the bushfire efforts. Now it has stepped up in a big way to help the sick and injured koalas who have been brought to rehab centers. The Australian Army Facebook page just shared several images. And yes, they are every bit as cute and heartwarming as you'd think.
On Monday, the army shared the post. "#OurPeople from 16th Regiment Emergency Support Force have used their rest periods to lend a helping hand at the Cleland Wildlife Park, supporting our furry friends during feeding time and by building climbing mounts inside the park,” the caption reads. The images showed soldiers snuggling and feeding the sweet animals.
The images are mega cute. Keep in mind, it's these hardworking soldiers' day off from work. Still, they look happy to be at the wildlife park, stepping in to help these adorable animals. While they could be resting and taking their time off, the soldiers selflessly decided to be of even more service.
It's an especially important task, because koalas were already at risk even before this season’s bushfires tore through the continent In 2018, they were considered "functionally extinct," according to the Australian Koala Foundation. The population numbers had dipped to a dangerous range, and now it's going to be even more of a battle to save the species.
Seeing the soldiers taking time on their days off is exactly the mood booster we all needed. It's so uplifting to see some really beautiful images like this. It shows how much people want to help and how far they will go to do a bit of good.
Still, the reality of the devastation is hard to look away from. It's likely why so many people are willing to help, from raising money to putting boots on the ground. These fires are truly tragic, and the impact is tremendous.
The most recent reports say that 1 billion animals have perished during Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfire season. Those numbers include thousands of koalas. It's deeply heartbreaking to think about all of those innocent animals losing their lives.
People have stepped up in so many ways, however. They are doing all they can to raise money. There have been beautiful social media campaigns, kids baking koala-shaped cookies to raise money, and people even leaving stuffed koala bear toys all over New York City to remind people to donate.
Hopefully, the efforts will continue. But either way, these images are a beautiful thing to see. These hardworking soldiers just seem to want to do everything they can to help, and there's no doubt that this is a wonderful use of their time.
When it comes to healing, simply making the animals feel safe and sound will likely have positive impacts on their overall health. Hopefully, the army's Facebook page will continue to post updates showing the progress these koalas, as well as so many other animals that have been injured, are making. We will definitely be checking back to see how they are doing.
