It’s been a tough month or two for Australian wildlife as the country bears through some of the harshest summer conditions on record. While extreme heat continues to burn on through, a cyclist has captured footage of a thirsty koala that seems to sum up the struggle.
Cyclist Anna Heusler posted the short video and a few photos to her Instagram page a few days ago, showing a koala lapping up water from her water bottle.
A thirsty koala has been captured sharing a drink with kind cyclist Anna Heusler, as Australia’s wildlife continues to struggle against extreme conditions.
Sharing a photo of the koala, Keusler commented “Australian Koala Bears suffering severe thirst in a heatwave. This Koala walked right up to me as I was descending and climbed up onto my bike while I gave him water.”
This happened near Adelaide in South Australia, where temperatures were hitting highs of 42 degrees celsius. Days like these have unfortunately become quite normal in the region and around the country – meteorologists even recorded Australia’s hottest day ever on Wednesday December 18th.
The current bushfire season has been devastating for wildlife, which is why it has become essential for good people to lend a hand where they can. Whether you’re able to offer a koala a drink in person or simple donating to the Rural Fire Service or animal relief organisations like the Australian Koala Foundation, every little bit helps.
See Heusler’s posts below:
