- Bushfires in Australia have devastated the country's koala population.
- However, Australians are doing everything they can to save the beloved marsupial.
- Photos of the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital in New South Wales show the catastrophic impact the bushfires have had on koalas, and how hospital volunteers are working day and night to rescue them.
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Bushfires throughout the Australian territory of New South Wales have devastated its koala population.
So far, the wildfires have ravaged about 12.35 million acres of land, killing nine people and destroying over 1,000 homes. Moreover, the feared ecological loss is enormous. Australia's Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that her ministry estimates that "Up to 30% of [koalas'] habitat has been destroyed." Exactly how much has been lost won't be known until the fires die down.
But some Australians have been galvanized to save one of their country's most beloved animal species. As Australia continues to face extreme heat and bushfires, videos of koalas being given water have spread across social media. And the grassroots support doesn't stop there.
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, a small koala hospital in New South Wales, raised over 2.2 million Australian dollars after starting a GoFundMe page with a goal of just 25,000 AUD. The GoFundMe is one of the most successful in Australian history, and even caught the attention of actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Pictures from the Koala Hospital show the devastation that Australia's koalas are facing, and the efforts of ordinary Australians to save the iconic marsupial.