Menu

Topics

Connect

Comments

Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.

Australian army melts hearts across the globe as they tend to injured koalas while battling devastating wildfires

WATCH: Video released by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) shows soldiers from 16 Regiment helping care for koalas injured in the ongoing bushfires. – Jan 29, 2020

When not fighting fires or helping communities rebuild, soldiers from the Australian Army’s Joint Task Force 1111 can be found nursing koalas back to health.

Story continues below advertisement

Tens of thousands of koalas were taken to wildlife centres with severe burns, or having lost their entire families following Australia’s devastating wildfires.

“It is nice to be doing something that is life-giving when you have seen so much destruction,” Chaplain Michelle Philip said.

It is estimated that nearly half of Australia’s koala population has perished in the wildfires. Koalas are particularly vulnerable as they are slow-moving and cannot escape the rapidly spreading flames.

Story continues below advertisement

Cleland Wildlife Park in South Australia is caring for the injured koalas rescued from Kangaroo Island. The heavily vegetated island was devastated by bushfires, with nearly 50 per cent of the island’s vegetation left charred.

Park representatives requested support from the Australian Army, as the koalas required intermittent feeding over several days.

Soldiers welcomed this opportunity to take a break from their more laborious duties, which included clearing routes, carting water and helping communities get back on their feet.

They see this as a chance to recharge — and officers even had to implement a waitlist because many soldiers were requesting “koala time.”

Australian Army soldier Private Robert Williams of 10/27 Royal South Australian Regiment (attached to 16 Regiment Emergency Support Force) with a Koala Joey at Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Nicole Mankowski

The soldiers from the 16 Regiment Emergency Support Force are finding all the support tasks very meaningful, as they are directly helping members of the Adelaide Hills community that have been directly affected by the fires.

Story continues below advertisement

The koala joey support task force will continue working with wildlife centres in the hopes of helping Australia’s koala population recover from the brink.

Advertisement

You are viewing an Accelerated Mobile Webpage.

View Original Article