A young man has been dubbed a hero after rushing into bushfire-hit areas and rescuing nine injured koalas from certain death.
As 22-year-old Patrick Boyle from Victoria, Australia, revealed, he felt sorry for the helpless animals which is why he decided to go on a dangerous solo mission to try and retrieve as many of them as possible.
Soon enough, the young man came upon not only one but nine koalas that were stranded in the burned eucalyptus forests near the city of Mallacoota.
According to Boyle, the idea for the rescue mission came to light after his friend found one of the animals hiding under the water pump of the plant where the two work.
“I’ve found eight or nine so far that have been rescued. I found over ten that were dead and about another five that are alive and healthy for the time being,” the 22-year-old told Stuff.co.nz.
Boyle has also shared pictures of his successful mission on Instagram where people praised him for his selfless actions.
“I’m a hunter – I’m one of the last people that others would expect to help these animals. Farmers, hunters and workers are the ones out there actually taking action right now,” Boyle added.
After the animals were moved to a local makeshift shelter, the young man has spoken out on Today Show and shared an update on the rescued koalas’ status.
“They’re all still alive with is good news… some are better than others, some are just dehydrated and shocked, others are really burnt and struggling to eat leaves,” Boyle confirmed.
In addition to his physical efforts in saving koalas, the 22-year-old has also pleaded with people to make a donation to the Mallacoota Wildlife Shelter where plenty of injured animals are staying and recovering.
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Replaced!