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The Australian bushfires are doing terrible things to the ecology of the region. This photo captures just how heartbreaking the devastation is.

Koalas are some of the cutest animals in the entire world. Who wouldn’t love to just cuddle up to one right now? Sadly, koalas are also some of the animals that have suffered the most under Australia’s bushfires.

This season’s Australian bushfires have been especially devastating, no matter how you analyze it. As of early January 2020, 25 people have died, 10 million hectares of land have burned and 1.25 billion animals have perished.

The koala population has been hit especially hard.

Humans are doing all that they can to rescue these animals. But the flames are relentless.

One image has gone viral online for capturing the devastation and loss of hope that humans and animals alike are feeling.

The photo shows a firefighter and a koala standing next to each other.

They gaze at the devastation as the forest in front of them burns down. The firefighter holds a hose, but he realizes that the water can do little to subdue such an intense blaze.

The koala must be especially upset. Their family members are in that fire, unable to escape. For the animal’s entire life, this has been their only home. And now it has gone forever.

The photo has shocked people online. The Eden Hills Country Fire Service uploaded it to their Facebook page recently, and so many people felt the pain that the two in this photo must have been feeling.

The photo soon gained hundreds of reactions, thousands of shares and more than 100 comments. People have been saying things like this:

Some people are doing all that they can to rescue the koalas. There are numerous rescue groups across the country who are currently searching for koala survivors. Even koalas who survive the initial fires are at risk of dying from dehydration, so the animal conservation efforts are vital.

Back in December, Australia’s environment minister stated that koala population had been reduced by up to 30%. This percentage is increasing by the day.

Luckily, there are koala hospitals in Australia that are doing all that they can. One is the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, which is currently busier than it has ever been.

All koalas who are admitted to this hospital are given IVs. This allows them to regain the water and nutrients that they desperately need. Afterward, they are screened and treated for whatever injuries they have faced. They are then examined every three days until they experience a full recovery.

Of course, the real culprit of the bushfires is obvious: global warming.

2019 was the hottest year on record for Australia. This has led to the most devastating fires that the country has ever seen. It is true that Australia has always had bushfires. But these fires are especially intense and longer-lasting than previous bushfires.

Hopefully, world leaders will pay attention to the devastation that these fires (and other fires) have caused and do something to ensure that climate change is brought under control. If not, then extreme weather events such as these bushfires will only become more and more common across the world, killing humans and animals alike.

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Source: CNN