A “goofball” rescue dog who struggled to find a home has gone from “zero to hero” – by turning rescuer to help injured koalas in the aftermath of Australia’s catastrophic bushfires.
Border collie-koolie cross Bear, five, has detected more than 100 injured, sick, dehydrated or starving koalas, boosting the odds of conservationists saving the endangered species.
The recent fires destroyed 110,000 sq km of forest and while they are over, the fight for survival continues.
Dr Romane Cristescu, Bear’s handler from the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, said: “Some places have burned so much, it may take decades to recover.
“We’re still finding animals struggling to find food, on the edge of starvation. If we find them, wildlife carers can plump them up.
“Our goal is to release them where they have a better chance of having food available. That’s why Bear’s work is so critical.”
Bear was recruited to the university’s Detection Dogs for Conservation training scheme in 2016, after his owner heard they needed “hyperactive” dogs. Romane said: “What we are looking for in a dog makes them difficult pets.
“We put word out to rescue centres we were looking for a ball-obsessed, crazy dog. Bear’s owner gave us a call to say they were being evicted from their flat due to his behaviour.
“At the time, we didn’t realise he had been abandoned several times. He has been through many homes as he was always getting in trouble.”
Brit Josey Sharrad, wildlife campaigner for the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Australia, the charity that sponsors Bear.
She said: “While these qualities make Bear an unsuitable pet, they make him a perfect detection dog. He doesn’t have an off switch. He has gone from zero to hero. I am so glad he has now found his forever home.”
She added: “Finding koalas can be difficult. They camouflage well. But dogs can smell what we can’t see. These dogs, together with USC’s drone, greatly increase koala detection.
"IFAW’s recent koala population report provides evidence of at least 6,382 koalas killed in the recent bushfires in New South Wales alone.”
Bear has been trained to detect the scent on koala fur and wears booties to protect his feet in the fire-ravaged forests. Once he has spotted a koala, he runs to the tree, drops to the floor and remains silent.
Romane said: “Instead of barking, which would scare away the koalas, he gives a really intense stare.
“His sense of smell is 10,000 times stronger than humans’, so he can track the animals before we have even seen a rustle in the trees.
"We are still finding a lot of koalas dehydrated and malnourished. Sometimes we find joeys separated from mums who burned to death, struggling to survive.
“Bear has worked almost every day this year. Far from being exhausted, he loves it. He sees it as play. If we can secure the funding, we would like to be using him and the other four detection dogs full-time.”
Some of the koalas saved by Bear were suffering greatly. They include mum and baby Jessie and Amelia, who are now receiving treatment.
Jessie was pregnant with another and now all three are recovering in the Snowy Mountains region.
They were found on the site of the Two Thumbs Wildlife Sanctuary, which was destroyed when a US water tanker crashed, killing all three firefighters. Bear discovered around 15 koalas at this site.
Another koala, given the name Jarrah, was tracked down due to Bear’s persistence. The team were due to stop searching a badly burned area but he refused to give up. Two months later, Jarrah is on the road to recovery.
The bushfires are estimated to have killed a billion animals in New South Wales alone. Professor Celine Frere from USC added: “The extent of the bushfires in Australia has touched the world. Bear is a good news story.
“He has enabled some people to also engage with the conversation about climate change and the bushfires.”
Bear is now a household name in Australia after he starred in Bear: Koala Hero, a documentary presented by conservationist Tyson Mayr.
He said: “It is so incredible to watch because when he’s not working he really looks like an untrained dog, he’s so excitable and so full of energy. He’s a big goofball. But the second they give him the call, he’s ready for work.”
- To support the work of IFAW and USC Detection Dogs for Conservation, visit ifaw.org and usc.edu.au/research/animal-and-marine-ecology/detection-dogs-for-conservation
