Vet Advises Not To Give Koalas Water From A Bottle After One Passed Away

Jan 20, 2020 by apost team

In the midst of the raging wildfires, people have been eager to help the dying animals, including the adorable koalas. An astounding 1 billion animals are reported to have been killed in the fires.

The koala bear population was hit hard with an estimation of around 8,000 to have fallen victim to the flames in New South Wales. This amounts to one-third of the population of the cuddly creatures in that region. A total of 25,000 have died in Australia due to the wildfires.

One of the reasons the koalas are dying is because their instincts are to climb up into trees when faced with danger. The eucalyptus trees, which are high in oil content, actually explode when subject to high heat. Very few of the koalas in these trees survive the wildfires.

The koalas that survive have to face a lack of food and water when the forests are devastated by the fires. People are eager to help the animals, but vets are cautioning them against giving koalas water from bottles after one recently died according to 7 News.

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The cause of these koala deaths is people not understanding the way koalas drink. A precious koala named Arnie, who had escaped the fires with only minor injuries, unfortunately, passed away when well-meaning people tried to give him water from a bottle. When koalas hold their heads up to drink, the water tends to get into their lungs, which can cause them to drown.

Wildlife officials are urging people not to pour water from bottles when helping the koalas. The water must be poured into a bowl and placed on a surface so that the bears can put their heads down and lap up the water as they would in the wild. Koalas rarely drink water because they get most of their hydration from eating eucalyptus leaves. If you don't have a bowl, you could pour water into your hand, and let the koala lap it up from there. Any method that allows the koalas to face downward when drinking will be safe for them.

What are your thoughts about the raging wildfires in Australia and their impact on the animals? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to pass this article along to others to raise awareness about the hazards in water bottles for the koalas.