Koalas rescued from deadly Australian fires fall in love

A love story between two badly burnt koalas rescued from Australia's deadliest bushfires has provided some heart-warming relief after days of devastation and the loss of over 180 lives.

Koalas rescued from deadly Australian fires fall in love

A love story between two badly burnt koalas rescued from Australia's deadliest bushfires has provided some heart-warming relief after days of devastation and the loss of over 180 lives.
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The story of Sam and her new boyfriend Bob emerged after volunteer fire-fighter Dave Tree used a mobile phone to film the rescue of the bewildered female found cowering in a burnt out forest at Mirboo North, near Melbourne.

But it was after reaching a wildlife shelter that Sam met and befriended Bob, who was saved by wildlife workers on Friday, two days before Sam, in Boolarra, about 180 km from Melbourne.

Tree said it was extremely rare to get so close to a koala, so he asked his colleague Brayden Groen to film him.
Bob's burns

Sam was taken to the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson. Colleen Wood, a member of the wildife centre, said Sam and Bob were doing well while other animals like possums, kangaroos, and wallabies were also starting to emerge from the debris.

She said Sam had suffered second degree burns to her paws and would take seven to eight months to recover, while Bob had three burnt paws with third degree burns and should be well enough to return to the bush in about four months.

They keep putting their arms around each other and giving each other hugs. They really have made friends and it is quite beautiful to see after all this. It's been horrific, said Wood.

Sam is probably aged between two to four going by her teeth and Bob is about four so they have a muchness with each other.

Wood said about 20 koalas had been brought into her shelter in recent days, several of whom had bonded, as koalas are known to clump together.

Same burnt smell

Tree has visited Sam since her rescue and was delighted to see she had found a boyfriend in Bob. "They've really taken a shine to each other, as they are both burnt and share the same burnt smell he said.

My heart goes out to the people in these fires and this was so innocent so people have used this to distract them from all the sad stuff that has gone on. It gives people a bit of hope.

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