Paw-Fect Candidate: Australia Finds New Koala Rescue Dog
SYDNEY (AFP-Jiji) — After trawling through dozens of applications, the hunt is over: an Australian animal welfare group has found a successor to a hero hound credited with saving more than 100 koalas from fires.
After an exhaustive search through numerous applications, the Australian animal welfare group International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has successfully identified a new koala rescue dog to succeed the renowned Bear. Bear, who served for a decade, was the first dog in the nation to be trained to detect the scent of koala fur, saving over 100 koalas during the Black Summer bushfires that ravaged Australia's eastern seaboard from late 2019 to early 2020.
Upon Bear's retirement, IFAW initiated a search for his replacement, acknowledging that he left "very big boots to fill." Among the dozens of applicants originating from various regions across the country and even the United States, an Australian koolie named Oaka emerged as the top candidate. Josey Sharrad, the welfare fund's Oceania head of programs, emphasized that Oaka possesses the same spark that made Bear an icon, stating that he showed the world what's possible when a rescue dog finds its true purpose.
Oaka, like Bear, was initially deemed "too much to handle" by her family. However, a local rescue group recognized her potential and submitted an application. Subsequently, she aced the initial test, impressing the animal welfare group's director of canine units, Frederic Chappee, who expressed his belief that Oaka is "almost too good to be true."
Given the increasing threat of intense bushfires during Australia's fire season later this year, Oaka's training will be expedited to ensure she is ready to fill the gap left by Bear. Sharrad highlighted the critical importance of having a highly skilled koala detection dog to protect one of Australia's most iconic species, particularly in light of the current El Nino conditions and the looming threat of a challenging fire season.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
