Australia fires: Five amazing ways people are helping animals
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Lots of animals have died during the fires, but these have had a helping hand
As the fires in Australia keep going, more and more animals need help.
Animal sanctuaries have been working around the clock but the demand is huge.
Members of the public both local to Australia and overseas have been pulling together to do all they can to help.
Here are five amazing ways people are helping animals.
1: The teenagers who filled their car with koalas
Up to 20 koalas were saved by the two young boys and this guy was saved by a passing bus driver!
Yes, you read that right!
19-year-old Micah and 18-year-old Caleb wanted to help as many koalas as they could in Batlow in New South Wales.
The fires in this area have been some of the worst and lots of animals have died.
An adult koala will eat about 500g of leaves a day!
The bushes where koalas live have been burning, and many have nowhere to go and have been hurt.
The boys spent a day driving around the area picking up any koalas that needed help.
Micah and Caleb managed to get 20 koalas to safety!
2: The knitters around the world making pouches for baby kangaroos!
These joeys are staying snug in their pouches made by members of the public!
Knitters, sewers and crafters have all come together from around the world.
They have been knitting, stitching and putting together all sorts of wonderful things for the animals of Australia.
Many of the joeys have lost their mums so are relying on the pouches and blankets to stay safe and warm
A group in the UK called "UK Crafters United" have made pouches, birds nests, bat blankets and even possum nests and sent them over to help.
The crafting community in Australia have also been busy turning to social media appealing for as many items as possible.
Kangaroos can't walk backwards!
The online social media group Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild has been sharing photos of the animals enjoying their treats.
It's not just the joeys getting snug as a bug, the bats are being wrapped in super small 'bat wraps'
3: The cyclists who stopped to give a thirsty koala a drink
The fires in Australia aren't the only thing causing animals distress.
The extremely hot temperatures and the drought - a shortage of water - have meant lots of animals have been left without water.
This little guy named Kodak stopped some cyclists for a drink
When this koala saw some cyclists, he stopped them and got some much needed water!
They were happy to share their water with him and even gave him the nickname Kodak.
The lack of rain has meant lots of animals have been very thirsty
4: The firefighters who let possums sleep in their helmets
This possum was determined to be saved, as firefighter Dean got closer to him, he ran up his leg!
Terrified of the fires and needing a safe space, Dean strapped the possum into his helmet and took him to the safety of the local fire station.
Happy to be snug and safe this ringtail possum got a ride to safety
Possums will often eat their own poo, doing this means they get double the good stuff!
5: Baby Blossom
This is Blossom, getting a much needed cuddle!
The oldest wombat in the world is 29 years old!
Blossom is a wombat and her mum died in the fires.
She is being looked after by wildlife carers who go into the bush to search for injured animals and was more than happy to be cradled and rocked to sleep by these journalists!
- Published6 January 2020
- Published13 January 2020
