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Meet Oaka: Australia's New Fire-Sniffing Hero
30 Sep
Summary
- Oaka, an Australian koolie, is the new koala detection dog.
- She succeeds Bear, who found over 100 koalas during fires.
- Oaka's training is fast-tracked due to future fire risks.
An Australian animal welfare group has selected Oaka, an Australian koolie, to succeed Bear, a celebrated koala detection dog. Bear, one of the first dogs trained to detect koala fur scents, was instrumental in finding survivors during bushfires. He is credited with saving over 100 koalas during the Black Summer fires from late 2019 to early 2020.
Oaka, like Bear, was considered difficult to handle by her family but showed remarkable potential. Her training is being expedited as Australia anticipates another potentially intense summer, with El Nino conditions already present. This ensures a skilled koala detection dog is ready to protect the iconic Australian species.
