You may know it’s been incredibly hot
all through eastern Australia - as in INCREDIBLY hot! Temperatures of
over 90F every single day. Blech!
These amazing photos have been doing the email rounds
lately. The story goes that this little koala (it’s certainly not fully
grown) wandered onto a back porch in South Australia looking for some
heat relief. The householder filled up a bucket and this is what
happened!
I must admit, I’m not very knowledgeable about koalas, so I’m happy
to be corrected about any of this. They’re not bears, of course,
they’re marsupials - the females nurture the young in a pouch. I’ve
never heard of one drinking water like this. Normally, they get the
moisture they need from the gum leaves they eat. This one must have
been desperate, especially with humans so dangerously close.
They’re cute, all right, but you wouldn’t want to tangle with a
mature koala - look at this little guy’s claws! And they make the most
extraordinary, spine-chilling noises. Years ago, My Beloved and I were
walking through bushland in country Victoria when we heard this long,
drawn-out, banshee howl. I was convinced it was the legendary bunyip,
coming to devour us. But no, high up in a gum tree was a big boy koala,
head thrown back, mouth wide-open, bellowing his mating cry. He was so
totally ready for lurve. I hope he found it!
And I’ve just remembered - years ago, when I was first writing, my
daughter and I mucked around with an idea for a YA fun novel about
vampire koalas. And it was all based on that terrifying cry out in the
lonely Bush. Hmm, maybe I should write it. I have the first draft
somewhere…
Got a good story about animals cooling down? Or just a koala comment? I’d love to hear it!