As devastating bushfires in South Australia continue to rage and destroy the land, with half a billion animals and possibly entire species wiped out, there are still some positive stories to be heard. Two teenage heroes went driving around in the areas worst hit by the bushfires to rescue koala bears. They took the frightened animals to safety in their car.
Over 25,000 koalas are estimated to have died in the devastating wildfire crisis on Kangaroo Island, which may lead to severe consequences for the survival of the species. Firefighters described the fire as “virtually unstoppable.” Before the fire started, the island was considered a koala safe-haven because its population had escaped a chlamydia epidemic.
Sam Mitchell, the co-owner of Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, announced that the facility expected to treat hundreds of injured and starving koalas. Therefore, they are building other enclosures in preparation.
Kangaroo Island was also home to 50,000 kangaroos before the fire, which wildlife experts fear have been lost forever. In addition to koalas, kangaroos, birds, reptiles, and other species, a significant number of bluegum and pine trees also got destroyed. But that’s not all; humans have also suffered the bushfire’s rage. At least 27 people have died from the fire, and about 60 homes got damaged in New South Wales alone.
Dave Harrison, 47, was one of the people who died. He suffered a heart attack while fighting to save a friend’s property in Batlow. His brother Peter explained that he “was just that sort of guy… He would help anyone at the drop of a hat – he would drive hours to help you.” He believed Harrison had an escape plan but got worn out from the whole event. “They had a plan to get out, but I just think he was overcome by the heat, the smoke, the exhaustion, running around putting out spot fires everywhere,” he said.
Back to the positive story, a video of the two heroes, 18-year-old Caleb and 19-year-old Micah, shows them with their car filled with koalas they rescued from the horrific fires. The video was uploaded on Reddit by their cousin. “Amid the terrible bushfires in Australia, my cousins went out and saved as many koalas as they could,” he wrote.
Amid such a horrific time with sad news about the fire’s destruction, this positive story gladdened hearts on social media. The video has over 1 million views and counting. One Reddit commenter wrote: “They look so terrified and exhausted. The world needs more people like your cousins,” while another said, “Thank your cousin for saving these sweet babies.”
Caleb and Micah saved around 20 koalas by driving around the island and putting them in their car until there was no more room. Out of the 20 koalas’, six were orphaned, and two were mothers with children. The duo precisely took the animals that looked unwell. They figured, any active animals that didn’t have burns and responded quickly were in good health. Unfortunately, as they drove around, nearly 60% of the koalas they saw had burned to death, while one-fifth of the koalas they saved that day died within 24 hours due to their injuries. However, the two heroes plan to look after the rescued koalas that survived the injuries until they are strong enough to return to the wild.
The Federal Government has committed an additional $11 million of funding for water bombers. The horrific fires have also caught the attention of some celebrity supporters, including Australian comedian Celeste Barber (raised $26million), Australian actor Nicole Kidman (pledged $500,000), and American singer Pink (pledged $500,000).
