Cradling a small creature in your arms can be therapeutic, and there are few people who need stress relief more than our brave soldiers.
Australian bushfires had been out of control until the 2019-2020 fire season ended, and we have no one to thank but our brave first responders who saved lives during this season.
The bushfires destroyed thousands of homes and killed 25 people, not counting the wild animals whose homes were also damaged.
It’s a good thing that many people pitched in to help restore the destroyed ecosystem. Soldiers from the South Australian and Tasmanian 16 Regiment Emergency Support Force also volunteered to care for rescued koalas.
Science confirms the benefits of cuddling with animals during times of emotional healing, and this poses positive effects on both the exhausted soldiers and the distressed koalas who had been rescued from the fires.
The Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park’s adorable koalas had been evacuated from their habitat. Unfortunately, experts believe Kangaroo Island, also known as “Noah’s Ark,” will never fully recover from the wildfires.
Approximately half of Kangaroo Island’s 50,000 koalas were lost in the fires, but 28 were relocated to Cleland Wildlife Park on the mainland.
Having these soldiers take care of the koalas that made it safely to Cleland Wildlife Park is a blessing. The little buddies look calm, swaddled in blankets, as soldiers fed them from syringes.
The mighty soldiers did not only help in feeding them, but they also helped prepare climbing structures and new enclosures for the koalas’ new home in the sanctuary.
Watch how soft-hearted soldiers used their spare time in taking care of little koalas in the video below.
