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Published 13:00 IST, January 27th 2020

Australian army soldiers risk their lives to take care of bushfire-hit koalas

A heartwarming incident has come into the limelight which shows Australian army risking their lives to fight the ravaging bushfires and saving lives of koalas.

Reported by: Sounak Mitra
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A heartwarming incident has come into the light which shows Australian soldiers risking their lives to fight the ravaging bushfires in Australia, and volunteering to help to take care of the koalas that have lost their homes during the recent Australia bushfire crisis. It shows the Australian army using their leisure time to take care of the koalas ravaged in bushfires. The adorable pictures were uploaded to the Australian Army Facebook page where soldiers can be seen feeding the koalas and make sure that they get enough nutrients and care.

READ: Video: Mama Fox Feeds Baby Koalas Separated From Their Mothers In Bushfires

Australian army taking care of koalas

The pictures show men and women from the South Australian and Tasmanian 16 Regiment Emergency Support Force caring for some of the animals affected when they visited Cleland Wildlife Park in South Australia. Australia has been gripped by ravaging bushfire since September last year and the damage has been so dreadful that it is being dubbed as the worst in recorded history. Properties, people and wildlife are the worst sufferers in the ongoing bushfire down under. In a recent piece of news coming in from Australia, an estimated 37,000 koalas have been killed in the wildfires so far. According to Steven Selwood of South Australia Veterinary Emergency Management, there are only 9,000 koalas that remain out of the 46,000 that were thought to be on the island before this year's bushfire. 

READ: Chinese Food Market At Epicentre Of Coronavirus Outbreak Was Selling Koalas

Koalas to be listed as endangered

Australian Environment Minister Sussan Ley had earlier suggested that koalas be listed as endangered species after their population took an eye-opening hit by the ongoing bushfires in the country. Some experts estimate that 80 per cent of koala habitat on Kangaroo Island has been wiped out after the island was ravaged by fire. Koalas were already listed as vulnerable before the fires started and now Sussan Ley's suggestion to list them as endangered is being welcomed by conservationists and environmentalists. Wildlife experts from Australia could soon list Koalas as endangered species after their population reduced considerably due to the ongoing bushfires. The unprecedented crisis has already killed over a billion animals and destroyed hectares of their habitat majorly in the southern part of the country.

READ: Trained Dogs Doing Things Impossible For Human Alone, Save 7 Koalas From Bushfires

READ: This Dog Has Saved Dozens Of Koalas In Bushfire-hit Australia

13:00 IST, January 27th 2020