When dealing with animals in the wild, many believe that the best thing is to let nature take its course. We often have a very protective side to us. We feel that we must help any animal that we see in distress. This can be a dangerous thing both for the animal and for us. Animals in distress are especially unpredictable. They may see our actions as a threat and may attack us.
This is especially dangerous if we are talking about a large animal. But an animal doesn’t have to be large to be dangerous. There are also small animals that are capable of inflicting great harm. Some types of cats can have sharp claws and teeth and can inflict great damage in a very brief time. If these injuries are sustained in the neck, for instance, this can be fatal.
One day, an Australian man called Bruce, was in his house minding his own business. He hears something in his porch. Fearing it might be a dangerous animal he goes to look. When he gets there, he sees something that is very unlikely to happen. It is an animal that hardly ever accepts human contact. This animal is a koala. Being an Australian, he’s always have a great fascination with koalas. Koala bears are small marsupials and they look awfully cute. But you shouldn’t let their cuteness fool you.
They have razor-sharp claws and teeth and will attack if they feel threatened. They are also known for carrying chlamydia, a dangerous STD. He figures that the best thing to do is to leave the bear alone. Before heading back into his house, he notices something wrong with the bear. Very slowly he decides to approach the animal. He tries not to make any sudden moves that will make the animal feel threatened. When he checks the koala’s condition he sees something that explains what the bear is doing there. The koala is covered in sharp burs. Bruce realizes that the koala must be in great pain and very distressed to approach a man.
He decides that it’s worth to try and help the animal. He goes back into his house and puts on a long sleeve shirt and pants. He also puts on a very thick motorcycle glove. Armed with a brush, he starts to gently comb the koala’s coat to remove the burs. Bruce is amazed at how calm she is. She lets him brush off all the burs very patiently.
She even seems to be enjoying the process. After a few minutes, Bruce manages to rid the koala of all the burs. After this, Bruce cuts down some gum tree leaves and gives them to her. She is grateful for the post-op snack. After finishing her treat, she goes back to where she came from. Bruce has seen her from time to time eating amongst the trees. She didn’t return to his porch again, but he still feels a strong bond with his furry friend.
