The devastating bushfires in Australia are still burning, and now soldiers from the Australian Army are on the ground, risking their lives in an effort to combat the deadly flames.
But even in the midst of destruction, there is hope in the ability for kindness and selflessness.
Even when these brave men and women find themselves with little spare time, they still find a way to make themselves incredibly useful. In fact, they’ve been lending a helping hand at a local wildlife park to feed some displaced koalas.
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Soldiers from the South Australian and Tasmanian 16 Regiment Emergency Support Force were recently pictured cuddling the poor creatures.
Still dressed in their uniforms, the men and women can be seeing sitting in a row at Cleland Wildlife Park in South Australia, each holding a swaddled koala and feeding it with a syringe.
The touching photos were posted on the official Facebook page for the 9th Brigade of the Australian Army on January 24.
“16 Regiment Emergency Support Force have been using their rest periods to lend a helping hand at the Cleland Wildlife Park, supporting our furry friends during feeding time and by building climbing mounts inside the park,” the now-viral post reads.
“A great morale boost for hard-working team in the Adelaide Hills.”
In addition to feeding some koalas, the soldiers also helped out in the gardens during their break from the fires.
Since it was first posted, the series of heartwarming photos have received over 20,000 reactions on Facebook and been shared nearly 40,000 times.
“What a wonderful experience for the soldiers and the koalas”
“Well done to everyone involved,” one touched user wrote.
Another added, “What a priceless photo of such great helpers. It brings tears of joy to my eyes. Thank you, our camouflage angels.”
Since September, the raging bushfires have torched over 25 million acres in Australia, with over 1 billion animals feared dead in the flames.
Koala populations in particular have been hit especially hard by the destruction, with the animal currently listed as “vulnerable” by Australia’s Environment Ministry.
Bushfires on Australia’s Kangaroo Island have been especially devastating to the koala population.
Some 30,000 out of an estimated 60,000 of the koalas on the island are believed to have been killed.
According to Insider , the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Australia is asking for volunteers to feed animals injured in the bushfires on Kangaroo Island.
Anyone interested is encouraged to read the organization’s plan and apply to volunteer here .
