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 |  Subject: Thirsty koala seeks help from bikers  Fri Jan 03, 2020 3:44 pm | |
| Thirsty koala seeks help from bikers in South AustraliaSky-high temperatures are affecting Australian wildlife, too.
[size=14]BEN BOLTON
[size=13]January 1, 2020, 8:27 a.m.[/size][/size]
While biking towards Adelaide in South Australia, cyclist Anna Heusler and her friends came across a curious koala in the middle of the road.
A common sight in the bushland, the group stopped to help guide the koala away from traffic. But what happened next took the group by surprise.
Instead of running away, the koala crawled up to Heusler and onto her bike. She poured water from her bottle as it gripped her left hand and hung sipping for quite some time.
"We’ve seen literally hundreds of koalas over the years, we have never seen a koala do this," Heusler told 7news.
She captured photos and video of the remarkable moment, and uploaded them to Instagram. The posts quickly went viral, not only because of the koala's odd actions, but because temperatures across Australia have hit scorching levels.
Several heat records reached breaking levels across the country in December. On Dec. 18, the average maximum temperature around the country hit 107.4 degrees Fahrenheit, with some cities experiencing temperatures over 120 degrees F.
In addition, Australian firefighters have been battling more than 100 fires over the past three months due to the soaring temperatures and dry weather.
Luckily, this koala escaped any injuries from the fires. Though, one might suspect its odd actions may stem from the heat and its capability to stay hydrated in such harsh conditions.
Heusler and the group of bikers safely escorted the koala to safe tree limbs a short distance away. While the circumstances of this interaction may be sad, it is truly one Heusler will never forget. |
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