Humans are unique in many ways, but we’re hardly the only creatures that show love and compassion. A touching series of photos of a baby koala and his mom has gone viral.
And before you ask, I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Koalas: they’re cute.
I’ve never been to Australia and have no firsthand experience with these little guys, but c’mon — just look at these weird little… checks notes …”arboreal herbivorous marsupials.”
Awww .
Poor Lizzy.
Comedian Marty Fields usually shares more, well, comedic things on his page. But he shared this heart-wrenching post about Lizzy the koala, who had recently been hit by a car.
The crash left this sweet koala with some pretty serious injuries.
She suffered facial damage and also a punctured lung, but thankfully the good people at Wildlife Warriors were able to give her the help she so desperately needed.
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If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the very Australian hospital the crocodile hunter himself, Steve Irwin, founded.
According to its official website , Wildlife Warriors and their zoo were established in 2002 by Irwin and his wife, Terri.
Their mission? “To be the most effective wildlife conservation organisation in the world through the delivery of outstanding outcome-based programs and projects, inclusive of humanity.”
The photos are incredible.
As a sedated Lizzy lies on the table, her little one-pound joey, named Phantom, clings to her. Phantom was with her at the time of the accident and was luckily unharmed.
He doesn’t want to let go.
This little guy is only six months old — far too young to be without his mama. That’s why doctors allowed Phantom to cling so tightly to his mom during the surgery. He needed that.
After all, his mom is all he really has at such a young age.
Imagine being young and virtually helpless, only to see your mom in a rough spot. It would be tough to deal with, and you wouldn’t want to leave her side.
In fact, the relationship between a mother koala and her joey is incredible special.
These fuzzy little creatures are actually asocial animals, meaning they tend to prefer to be on their own rather than in big groups. The only bonding that ever occurs with koalas is between a mama and her baby.
And in fact, joeys are awfully dependent as far as animal offspring go.
Baby koalas will stay in their mothers’ pouches for the first six or seven months of their lives, and are only weaned at around one year old.
So yeah, their bond is pretty tight to say the least.
Phantom held on tight throughout the procedure.
The little baby was allowed to stay with his mom through her surgery. That’s a good thing, because judging from the looks of things, he wouldn’t have let go if doctors had tried to separate them.
Lizzy’s okay.
After the emergency surgery, Lizzy’s collapsed lung was repaired and she’s reportedly on the mend. It’s a happy conclusion to the story, especially for little Phantom, who probably feared he was about to lose his mom.
It certainly tugs the heartstrings.
It’s impossible to say for sure, but it’s easy to imagine that having a loved one in close proximity is a comforting experience, even when you’re sedated and lying on the operating table.
❤️❤️❤️
There’s something about furry little animals that just melts the heart. It’s tough seeing them in a bad place, but it’s that much more gratifying when these stories have a happy ending.
Learn a little.
These stories have a way of making us all vulnerable, right before we ruefully reflect on the fact that humans are often jerks to one another. Like, where is the love?
What do you think?
I didn’t wake up this morning expecting to be so moved by a pair of koalas, of all things, but that’s where I am right about now. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
h/t: Facebook | Marty Fields
