Horribly devastating bushfires have snowballed out of control in South Australia. Nearly 30,000 acres of Australian bushland have been claimed by these wild blazes. Dozens of homes have been destroyed and countless animals have been killed or displaced.
It's not just the heat of the fire that's causing these animals distress. It's the 100-degree heat that isn't doing anything to stop the blaze.
The koala population, usually so plentiful in South Australia, has been particularly affected. The koalas have been put into a state of shock as they see their homes destroyed. Many are badly burned, while others are severely dehydrated.
Surprisingly, koalas do not have immune systems, so their risk of death from infection is very high. It takes the efforts of organizations like the Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organization (AMWRRO) to come to the aide of these adorable, furry creatures.
The bushfires are taking a devastating toll on this amazing area of Australia, but fortunately, people are stepping up to help out these beautiful animals so that they have a brighter future…
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Jeremy was found alone in the wilderness, yelping in severe pain as the fires had badly burned his paws.
His immune system could not ward off infection, so it took the good people of AMWRRO to help save him. They took him in and continually nursed the wounds of his second-degree burns.
They continually dipped his paws into cooling liquids and disinfected the open sores. Without the organization's help, Jeremy would most likely have died.
When the wounds aren't being treated, they keep his paws in casts so they won't get more irritated or infected.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare is also looking after injured koalas by starting a mitten drive for the hundreds of other koalas with damaged paws.
Mittens have been donated by more than 500 people from all over the world.
Organizer Josey Sharrad told USA Today that, "Some people are making up to 100 mittens. It's fantastic. We didn't expect this response. We've been inundated, and it's been brilliant."
Even individuals are getting involved. Colin Phil Cook has been taking videos of the some of the unlucky koalas to bring awareness to their plight. You can see in his video below just how parched some of these animals are.
