With the Australian bushfires largely under control as the long and devastating 2019-2020 fire season comes to an end, it’s time for reflection on the heroic deeds of first responders, who not only saved human but animal lives as well.

Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed and 25 people died in the bushfires since October.

Prime minister, Scott Morrison, spoke at a recent memorial for those fatally wounded:

“We’ve lost firefighters, aviators, farmers and civilians alike this summer. All carried within them, even until the end, the DNA of our universal language – I love you…Fatigued, traumatized, and overwhelmed, they kept coming back, day after day, week after week, and month after month.”

But despite that unrelenting fatigue, many first responders and volunteers even used their spare time to help those in need. For example, soldiers from the South Australian and Tasmanian 16 Regiment Emergency Support Force went viral after their Facebook page shared photos of the weary men and women cuddling and feeding displaced koalas.

“16 Regiment Emergency Support Force has been using their rest periods to lend a helping hand at the Cleland Wildlife Park,” read the regiment’s Facebook post. “Supporting our furry friends during feeding time and by building climbing mounts inside the park. A great morale boost for our hard-working team in the Adelaide Hills.”

That’s right, instead of getting more rest, the no-doubt adrenaline-ridden soldiers wound down by cuddling some koalas in need.

And while stress-reduction programs aren’t going to be switching out cats and dogs for koala bears any time soon, the science is pretty clear on the benefits of stroking animals during times of emotional upheaval – it can help both psychologically and physiologically (by reducing the stress hormone cortisol, for example).

Of course, the smoke-addled koalas got something out of this too – this was no petting zoo. In fact, they had been evacuated from their habitat at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park due to the fires.

“One of their many tasks is to assist the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park with the large number of injured wildlife at the park,” the Australian Army explained of some of the Army’s responsibilities.

According to BBC News, Kangaroo Island – where the koalas were originally housed – has been called “Noah’s Ark” because of its unique ecology – but wildlife experts now fear that it may never fully recover from the wildfires.

It is estimated that half of the 50,000 koalas on Kangaroo Island died in the fires. Twenty-eight were moved to Cleland Wildlife Park on the mainland. The park said the animals came from a part of the island “where most, if not all, of their habitat has been lost in the recent bushfires.”

The soldiers also helped prepare climbing structures and new enclosures for the koalas’ new home.

The koalas that made it safely to Cleland Wildlife Park look content as smiling soldiers look down on them during feeding time in the photos that have now gone viral.

Swaddled in blankets, they appeared calm as soldiers fed them from syringes and gave them some comfort and care.

And while many so-called “experts” weighed in with their limited knowledge that koalas should not drink out of bottles of water (because they can easily get it into their lungs), the soldiers were feeding them under the supervision of professionals (that happen to know better than your average online commenter).

You can scroll down to see more footage of the soldiers’ good deeds.

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Source: The Guardian, 9th Brigade – Australian Army via Facebook, ScienceDaily, Australian Army via YouTube, BBC News
(H/t: Upworthy)