We’ve done our best to cover the Australian bushfires and to raise awareness about this unprecedented disaster. And the thing that struck us most was just how much this horrible situation brought out the very best in some people. We can say with some certainty that Australia is full of heroes who don’t hesitate to rescue animals in distress. It’s time to meet some of them.
Scroll down, upvote the stories that inspired you, and remember to share this post with your friends. When you’ve finished this article, have a read through Bored Panda’s previous posts about teens who drive around saving koalas, a dog that rescues koalas, and a dog that saved a flock of sheep from fire.
In case you want to support the Australian people, here are some recovery efforts and disaster relief organizations that you can donate to: the Red Cross, St Vincent de Paul Society, and the Trustee for NSW Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donations Fund. If you know of any other similar charities, please share some info about them in the comments.
#1 Teenagers Filling Their Car With Koalas To Save Them From The Flames
Image credits: Alternative 666
#2 Since The Fire Has Passed Through Mallacoota This Amazing, Selfless Young Guy Has Been Out Searching For Injured Wildlife. This Is One Of 7 Koalas He's Saved So Far
Image credits: nomadofthewaves
#3 The Kangaroo Is Drenched In Water After Approaching A Human For Help
Image credits: Matrix for Daily Mail Australia
Bored Panda reached out to Demi, who goes by the pseudonym CarbonChic online, about the wraps she made for the baby orphan bats of the Aussie bushfires. "There are a lot of confused, injured and scared animals in Australia right now. Even more dead ones. And fire is one of those things that is really hard to control when it escalates to this level."
"I’m not someone who can be on the front line fighting fires but I felt like I still needed to do something. Not just donate money, but put my back into it, make something that would directly affect an animal, and not have anything skimmed off the top or have some kind of uncertainty as to where it’s going," Demi said. "The things I make are going directly toward helping the more helpless victims of the bushfire."
#4 I'm So Proud Of My Country, Our Volunteer Firefighters Are Legends In Their Own Category
Image credits: cheryl2399
#5 This Fire Fighter (And All Ff’s) Saving The People, Animals, And Homes In Australia
Image credits: boldstyle1
#6 Koalas In A Home In Cudlee Creek, South Australia, After Being Rescued From Fires In A Garden. Local Firefighters Helped A Woman Move Them Into Her House
Image credits: Amanda Mudge
Demi said that she livestreams on Twitch and it took her an entire stream to get the bat wraps done. "About 6 hours for 18. I made 21 joey pouches in today’s stream. In total, I’ve also raised about $300 during these streams, too for the Animal Rescue Craft Guild, which feels like a pittance compared to celebrities like Celeste Barber but every little bit counts."
"I’m lucky to be living in the heart of Brisbane, so we are safe. The worst I’ve gotten is a few asthmatic symptoms from the smoke in the air, which comes and goes depending on where the fires are," Demi said. "Everyone is pretty nervous still about the continued destruction, it just looks like it’s never-ending! I am really sad about the loss of life and will continue making pouches and wraps until my supplies run out."
#7 Tonight I Got To Meet The Baby Orphan Bats Of The Aussie Bushfires That I Made The Wraps For
I’m not even sorry for the “selfie”. I am sorry for the bad lighting because it was night time and street lamps are really unflattering but LOOK AT THEM. Massive kudos to Rachael from the Bat Conservation and Rescue Qld for bringing some babies along for me to meet. I had to be mindful of how much screaming I was doing because they were very sleepy but I was pretty much losing my mind the whole time. I think Rachael was pretty amused at my reactions but I had just never met one this close before. They have two noses and wiggly ears and are just so much cuter than you can imagine, I couldn’t believe it. Shipped up from NSW, their mommas are long gone but they seem to enjoy chewing and snuggling in their brand new wraps. It’s such an incredible feeling knowing that something I’ve done is out in the world doing some good. There’s nobody taking out administration fees or skimming a bit off the top or anything, the things I made are 100% just for the bats. (And will be loved and used by many babies before they’re reduced to shreds from all the claws and teeth.)
Image credits: CarbonChic
#8 A Koala Drinks Water Offered From A Bottle By A Firefighter During Bushfires In Cudlee Creek, South Australia
Image credits: Oakbank Balhannah CFS
#9 Picture Of My Cousin Who Is Fighting The Fires In Victoria Saved This Joey
Image credits: officialMorthoke
We’re seeing people helping their neighbors and the local wildlife left and right in Australia. It’s a true testament to bravery that they’re putting the safety of animals above their own.
For example, the staff working at the Mogo Zoo in New South Wales protected all of their 200 animals from danger. The team set a very precise plan into motion. First of all, they removed everything flammable from the area. Secondly, they’d prepared hundreds of thousands of liters of water in advance. Thirdly, they relocated the larger animals to night enclosures. Zoo director Chad Staples, who called the situation “apocalyptic” and compared it to “Armageddon,” opened up his home to some of the smaller animals.
"Right now in my house there's animals of all descriptions in all the different rooms,” Staples told the media. Meanwhile one of the zookeepers even took a tiger home with them (temporarily, of course).
#10 Woman Saves Koala From Bushfire
Image credits: KETKnbc
#11 Travel Filmmaker Saved This Little Baby Kangaroo That Was Left By Its Self
Image credits: sammcglone
#12 Since Half A Billion Animals Were Potentially Lost In Australian Bushfires, The Irwin Family Stepped In And Already Helped Over 90,000 Animals
Image credits: bindisueirwin
There’s also a place for laughter in the darkest of times (maybe even especially during them). Firefighters with the Urunga Rural Fire Service in New South Wales saved Paul Sekfy’s home from the blaze and left him a wholesome note: “It was our pleasure to save your house... P.S.— we owe you some milk.”
That’s right. The people who risked their lives to battle the elements apologized for drinking the man’s milk. Kale Hardie-Porter, who left the note, later had this to say to Sekfy: “I'm happy to know my note got to you in one piece! We took refuge in your house and that's when we discovered the fridge. It was our pleasure to do a little good in such horrendous conditions.”
Dear Pandas, if you’re currently in Australia, stay safe. And let us know in the comments how you, your friends, family, and neighbors are helping each other and the local wildlife out.
#13 Wildlife Information, Rescue And Education Volunteer And Carer Tracy Dodd Holds A Kangaroo With Burnt Feet Pads After Being Rescued From Bushfires In Australia's Blue Mountains Area
Image credits: Reuters
#14 A Koala Receives Water From A Cyclist During A Severe Heatwave That Hit The Region, In Adelaide
Image credits: BIKEBUG2019
#15 The Koala Named “Tinny Arse” That Was Rescued By Damian Campbell-Davys From A Bushfire Zone Sits In His Water Tanker
Image credits: https://twitter.com/geraghtyk?lang=en
#16 Bear The Koala Detection Dog Saving Koalas During The Australian Bushfires
Image credits: tanafidge
#17 Australian Zookeeper Saves Animals From Terrible Fires By Taking Them Home
Image credits: GavinCoote
#18 Wildlife Rescuer Simon Adamczyk Is Seen With A Koala Rescued At A Burning Forest Near Cape Borda On Kangaroo Island, Southwest Of Adelaide
Image credits: AAP Image/Reuters
#19 Tracy Burgess Holds A Severely Burnt Brushtail Possum
Image credits: Reuters
#20 A Group Of Baby Koalas Were Rescued From The Adelaide Hills Fire Zone Area In Australia And Being Looked After By A Team Of Professional Volunteers
Image credits: VOA
#21 Koala Being Rescued
Image credits: Adelaide Koala Rescue
#22 Distressed At First, Dolly Calmed Down Quickly. We Needed To Get Her Still Hot Feet Cooled Down Fast So Made Do With Fresh, Clean Water In A Wheelbarrow. Dolly Appreciated A Big Drink And Pain Relief Before Being Transferred To Our New And Temporary Koala Emergency Centre At Paradise
Image credits: Adelaide Koala Rescue
#23 Officers Giving A Helping Hand To Local Wildlife In Fire Affected Bendalong
Image credits: NSW Police Force
#24 Dog Saves Flock Of Sheep From Australia’s Raging Bushfires
Image credits: patsythecorryongwonderdog
#25 A Dehydrated And Injured Koala Receives Treatment At The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
Image credits: AFP via Getty
#26 Koala Being Saved
Image credits: reuters
#27 Over 600 Bats Were Transported From Caring Facilities Evacuated In New South Wales Due To Fire. Our Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital Has Treated Over 100 Of These Beautiful Little Souls. I Wanted To Share With You Some Of The Sweet Faces That Are Getting A Second Chance At Life
Image credits: bindisueirwin
#28 Kangaroos Gather On A Home’s Lawn In Berrara Beach, Nsw, As Bushfires Spread
Image credits: Linda Robinson via Reuters
#29 Lucky Koala Is Saved From Sa Bushfires
Image credits: FintanYTWalsh
#30 Weighing Less Than A Bag Of Sugar And Snug As A Bug In His Wee Knitted Pouch, This Adorable Koala Joey Called Haze Survived The Raging Australian Bushfires Thanks To The Extraordinary Efforts Of A Firefighter Who Saved Her Life
Image credits: xindigothoughtsx
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