Aussie Firefighter Rescues Scorched Koala

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 3:15pm

Almost 200 people are dead so far, and thousands of animals. Australian firefighter David Tree stopped to help this one koala.



The article below will make you weep.

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Koala rescued from Australia's wildfire wasteland

6 hours ago

HEALESVILLE, Australia (AP) — The koala moved gingerly on scorched paws, crossing the blackened landscape as the fire patrol passed.

Clearly in pain, the animal stopped when it saw firefighter David Tree following behind.

"It was amazing, he turned around, sat on his bum and sort of looked at me with (a look) like, put me out of my misery," Tree told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I yelled out for a bottle of water. I unscrewed the bottle, tipped it up on his lips and he just took it naturally. He kept reaching for the bottle, almost like a baby."

The team called animal welfare officers as it resumed its patrols on Sunday, the day after deadly firestorms swept southern Victoria state.

"I love nature, and I've handled koalas before. They're not the friendliest things, but I wanted to help him," Tree said.

Tree says he's spoken to wildlife officials, and the koala, nicknamed Sam, is doing fine. And he, it turns out, is a she.

The rescue was one small bright moment in Australia's wildfire tragedy. Thousands of acres (hectares) have been burned out, almost 1,000 homes destroyed and more than 180 people killed.

Countless animals were killed in the disaster, which hit farming and forest regions to the north and east of the Victoria state capital of Melbourne, and many more fled in panic.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals said it was establishing shelters to care for thousands of pets and livestock affected by the disaster.

Koala rescued from Australia's wildfire wasteland

[wonkit]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 3:22pm

Thank you for posting this.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 3:25pm

Poor baby! Koalas have been my absolute favorite animal since I was a kid.

[EVIE]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 4:08pm

Poor little thing.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 4:46pm

Awww, I must be such a sap, because this brought tears to my eyes! And that is one of the cutes pictures I've ever seen.

Reposting some koala-y pictures that Lusciouslace posted in the "I Enjoy Being A Girl" thread:

[tazber]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 4:48pm

So tragic what's happening over there. The death toll is 181 with 80 people still unaccounted for.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 4:51pm

I think it's horrible that I hadn't even heard about this disaster until I opened this thread. I'll keep the Australians in mind these next few weeks.

This thread is certainly not a laughing matter, but I thought it was kind of funny that the firefighter combating forest fires is named "David Tree."

It's like a name out of a Monty Python sketch.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 4:58pm

There's video too. I'll see if it's up on YouTube.

Updated On: 2/10/09 at 04:58 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 5:04pm

Shut up, PJ.

I didn't know about it either, Schmerg.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 5:10pm

Video of Sam the Koala getting saved.

Updated On: 2/10/09 at 05:10 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 10:20pm

Oops. Here's the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XSPx7S4jr4

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 10:21pm

The situation is just tragic.

That story just made me cry, PalJoey.
It's just heartbreaking. Simply heartbreaking.

Bless that little koala.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 10:23pm

This is the video I was looking for before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I_mnpYhNcs

Thousands of animals burned to death when the arsonists attached last time.

Updated On: 2/10/09 at 10:23 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 10:26pm

Arson.

Pure evil.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 10:52pm

Oh, PJ. I couldn't watch the second video to the end.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 11:00pm

That's why the story of Sam is so powerful. If Sam can survive, so can Australia.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 11:01pm

Our own gettinhep lives near the fires and I am sure is very upset by this tragedy!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 11:07pm

I had no idea she lived in that part of Australia!

Is she ok?!?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 11:10pm

Has anyone heard from her?

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 2/10/09 at 11:10pm

I think she lives in Melbourne. Not sure how close that is. Have to go look it up. She posted the other day about the fires, but I haven't seen her around in a few days. Hope she's okay.

Nevermind. Just went back and re-read the original article PJ posted in his first post.

Updated On: 2/10/09 at 11:10 PM

[gettinhep]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 1:43am

Thank you for worrying. You are all very sweet. But, please I am fine.

I am a Melbourne girl. While there were fires in areas now considered outer suburbs of our city, most fires cut a swathe through small rural communities in mountainous bushland on a long arc 80 miles or so from town. These towns were some of the nost beautiful our state had to offer. Tiny oases of bushland and birdlife. Quaint stores and lovely farmland. Waterfalls issuing from moutain creeks. Winding roads and heavy scented scenary.

There are many separate fires and many joined up to form fire fronts twenty miles wide and more. Many appear to be the act of arsonists.

We see bushfires each Summer in Victoria. We, like California, have hot dry winds that leech moisture from trees and fan flames. Add mountainous terrain where fires travel much faster than on flat land and you have a recipe for horror. Rural communities are always on the ready for fire. The difference this year is that each ingredient for a bushfire was added in such great amounts. We have had a decade of drought. We had Death Valley-like temperatures last week. The so-called cool change that arrived on Saturday was merely a wind shift; that wind was gale force. The firefighters had no chance of stopping them.

There has been shocking loss of life, appalling wounds, couragous acts and lucky escapes. The feeling down here is that we now pull together - city and bush dwellers. We stand together.

Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts for the people of Kilmore, Kinglake, Taggerty, Wittlesea, St Andrews, Strathewen, Marysville, Bendigo, Yarra Glen, Narbethong, Mudgegonga, Churchill,Reedy Creek, Yea, Beechworth, Traralgon and dozens of other towns, large and small, affected on the weekend or still facing oncoming fires. This Victorian girl thanks you very much.

[Q]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 1:52am

"Many appear to be the act of arsonists."

I simply don't have words to express what I think about that.

[nmartin]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:45am

In the last picture of the baby koala sitting in a tub of water, he appears to be saying, "A little privacy please."

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 8:00am

Hep, so glad to see you're okay!! Thinking of you and your fellow Aussies.

Knowing my love for koalas, a friend sent me a link for the Australian Koala Foundation. Some diary entries with entries from mid-January.

https://www.savethekoala.com/firenews.html

[gettinhep]

Posted: 2/13/09 at 3:35am

A little update on Sam, the koala...

She has found love with Bob, another koala at the Mountain Ash Wildlife Sanctuary. Just in time for Valentine's. She was also reunited with the CFA firefighter who rescued her in Mirboo North.

As for the fires...

They are still threatening towns. The death toll will be around 300. While more than 6,000 people are without homes. At least one arsonist has been arrested in relation to some of the fires set last weekend.

Sam Reunited With Firefighter

Updated On: 2/13/09 at 03:35 AM