Picture: Koala Hospital Port Macquarie/Facebook Source: Facebook''That is just heartbreaking''.
Touching footage of a singed koala being given a drink of water in the wake of Australia's current bush fire crisis has gone viral.
A spate of fires are currently active on New South Wale’s Mid Coast, and is having a huge impact on local wildlife.
The video was captured in the Bellangry State Forest after a man came across the injured koala and stopped to give her water.
Somehow, despite the bushfire devastation in Port Macquarie, this koala was found alive at Bellangry State Forest. Kate has burns to her hands, feet and face, and her entire body has been singed by the fire. She's being treated in the burns unit at the Koala Hospital. #9News pic.twitter.com/hXaWSWr4aR
— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) November 14, 2019
The Koala Hospital Port Macquarie posted the video to its Facebook page where it received thousands of likes and comments.
It is believed more than 350 koalas may have perished in the fires thus far.
“Kate on the day she was found in burnt out country by Darrel,” the animal hospital said.
“He may have got the sex wrong but he did the right thing by gently capturing her using a big blanket and bring her to us.
“Kate has burns to hands, feet, face, and full singeing of her body.”
''Such compassion.''
Hundreds of Facebook users reacted to the video:
“That is just heartbreaking. Thank you for taking care of the injured wildlife, it must be a hard thing to witness all the injuries of the animals coming in,” one user said.
“Such compassion and gentleness in the rescuer’s care for this clearly injured and hurting koala. Thank you and more thanks to you all for bringing Kate to the Koala Hospital. May she recover fully and be relieved of her pain,” another wrote.
One added: “The poor darling. Breaks my heart just thinking about what she’s been through. Thank you to all those helping our wildlife during these tough times.”
Meanwhile a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital nurse the koala’s impacted by the fires back to health.
The campaign has almost reached $500,000AUD (€350,000) in donations.
