Since earlier this month, wildfires have plagued Australia, leaving many people terrified of what could happen. The fires, however, do not only affect humans. It also displaced many animals, even killing some of them. One group of animals that are affected are the koalas. This dog named Bear, meanwhile, helps in rescuing these trapped koalas from getting burned in the wildfires.
Bear, with the aid of wildlife rescuers, tirelessly joins the search and rescue operations conducted by the locals of South Wales and Queensland. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) even tagged Bear as the ‘koala detection dog’ because of the work he does.
In a report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, koalas are one of the most vulnerable species in the country. This group of animals is susceptible to wildfires because they seek refuge and live in eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees are susceptible to fires because of its bushy elements.
The dog’s work comes in when in looking for koalas who are potential survivors. While many koalas are already feared dead, the rescuers refused to give up and continue with their search in the hopes that there are still survivors.
According to the IFAW, Bear is doing a great job so far. Josey Sharrad handles the dog during the rescue operations. As of now, the team has already saved two koalas through the help of the pooch.
It is Bear’s instinct that the rescuers use whenever they try to locate a survivor. The dog would bark towards a specific direction, indicating that there are koalas present in that area.
During every search and rescue operation, the rescuers would shield Bear by letting him wear protective gear and socks. This way, the dog would keep himself safe from any danger that may be brought by the wildfires.
Credits to CNA.