If there was ever a sad news story that managed to still be uplifting, it's probably this one. By now, you probably know about the devastating wildfires in Australia. Caused by extreme heat, CNN is now reporting that at least 24 people have been charged for intentionally adding to the flames. Plenty of homes have been damaged, both for humans and animals. Millions of animals, especially koalas, are presumed to be dead based on the horrific situation.
That's why it's so sweet that at the very least, this group of koalas was given a second chance at survival. Micah Lovegrove and his cousin were on a rescue mission to help save injured koalas on Kangaroo Island. Once they were shipped safely out of the scenario, they were sent to Micah's neighbor's house. According to HuffPost, that neighbor has a proper license to care for these wildlife critters. So there was some professional support in this mission.
The rescue is heroic, yet the video footage is still somewhat sad. The koalas, some of whom are injured, seem a little traumatized by the entire experience. However, there was little chance for their survival if it weren't for this mission.
In the video, which features multiple koalas sitting peacefully in a car, the creatures almost look like stuffed animals. But that is common for their disposition, especially if they're sick or stressed out. While they can run fast, koalas typically live a relatively slow lifestyle.
HuffPost reports that the rescue from Kangaroo Island was especially important for one reason. The area is known for being a safe habitat for koalas and marsupials and is also chlamydia-free. It might be hard to think about, but so many koalas are infected with chlamydia that it's one of the biggest killers of the species.
According to LiveScience, the infection can cause blindness, bladder inflammation, and infertility in koalas. It can also cause them to die. While it's easy to treat in humans, that's not the case for koalas — they don't successfully respond to any of the medication that's currently available to treat it.
Koalas that have koala retrovirus type B are more likely to catch chlamydia. Like in humans, it's transmitted sexually — but baby koalas can also get the infection from their mothers' excretion. Called pap, the excretion is a big dietary supplement for a baby koala. By eating it, babies are nourished with microorganisms from their mother.
It also helps baby koalas transition from milk to eucalyptus leaves. Since pap is mushy, it's a great beginner food for them. Like human babies, joeys are quite attached to their mothers for some time — primarily until there's another baby in the picture. So it's a shame that their chance for survival is more or less doomed from the start if they get infected.
Northern Australian koalas are known for being infected. Kangaroo Island was the only place safe for noninfected koalas to flourish, which is why it's a big deal that the wildfires took place. Fires in general cause a lot of destruction, but when they threaten to wipe out an entire species, they can be devastating worldwide.
People reports that prior to the fires, Kangaroo Island was said to have approximately 50,000 disease-free koalas who were protected. But now that a lot of those koalas have been wiped out, this is devastating news for their future. Conservationists were depending on this group to keep the species repopulating.
HuffPost reports that as of now, a third of Kangaroo Island has been destroyed. The fires also caused the deaths of a father and son who were close to the area of impact. That means that these teens who tried hard to rescue the koalas put themselves in a dangerous place in order to do so.
"Over 50% (of the population) has been lost," Sam Mitchell, co-owner of the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, told AFP of the koala population, per the Straits Times. “Injuries are extreme. Others have been left with no habitat to go back to, so starvation will be an issue in coming weeks.”
That's something else to consider. Aside from directly dying due to the fires themselves, many of these poor koalas are left without shelter or food resources. A GoFundMe page has been set up, and it has already raised over a million dollars to help protect the koala population. "We spent most of January 3rd building extra holding enclosures as well as defending the park from the immediate threat of the fire," organizer Dana Mitchell wrote. "We will continue to prepare more infrastructure to house the extra wildlife we expect to see over the coming weeks."
Curious about how you can help? Donating is a good step. "We are asking for funds to help with veterinary costs, koala milk and supplements, extra holding/rehabilitation enclosures, as well as setting up a building to hold supplies to treat these animals," Dana wrote. They're also hoping to rebuild habitats to help the population grow.
It's just proof that we, as humans, need to look out for animals — especially if we have the resources to do so. "Once conditions improve and we are granted access to fire ground, a qualified team will be going out to rescue wildlife caught in the fires and relocate those left without a food source or home," Dana made sure to add. The million dollars is huge, especially since the original goal was only $15,000.
Another way to help is to spread awareness. We should always look out and support other countries when they go through something so severe. Life is short — helping people and animals in need is a great way to make the most of it.
Fingers crossed that all of these rehabilitated koalas get all of the help they need. Since they're such an important part of overall koala survival, they're not allowed to rehabilitate outside of their island. It's a shame that so many didn't survive the event, but with a little love and lots of support, they hopefully won't be at risk of extinction in the very near future.
