An animal rescue organisation has shared an extraordinary photo of a woman saving a koala from rising flood waters as it revealed the service had been inundated with emergency calls.
The woman’s heroic effort came as animal rescue organisations including the RSPCA responded to multiple calls to help animals stranded by the surging waters.
In a social media post, The Rescue Collective in Brisbane, Queensland, said the woman had rescued a total of six koalas on her own on Sunday night.
The organisation used the post of the koala being rescued in the Brisbane suburb of Mount Gravatt, to also ask for donations to support its ongoing large-scale rescue of animals trapped in flood water.
The Rescue Collective responds to animal rescue calls in Queensland, northern NSW, and South Australia, and has been on the front line of Queensland’s worst flood since 2011.
The Rescue Collective – an animal rescue charity – shared a photo on Sunday of a member rescuing her sixth koala in one night from Mount Gravatt floodwater
Animal rescue services have reported being overwhelmed by calls to help flood-stricken animals
RSPCA Queensland has rescued and cared for hundred of animals from dangerous floodwater
‘This is after our local koala rescuer had already saved 5 other koalas in the area in the hours before,’ the post said.
‘The rain has slowed finally over our area but a high tide is on its way. Rescues can hopefully begin today.’
The charity has also asked for donations to help repair farms and animal sanctuaries damaged in the flood.
RSPCA Queensland workers look after a koala rescued from dangerous floodwater in Brisbane
RSPCA has rescued hundreds of animals in southeast Queensland from the worst flood the state has seen since 2011
A wet and tired koala was thoroughly spoilt with fresh greenery after being rescued from Queensland flood water
RSPCA Queensland has also been busy and said it had received 510 animal rescue calls from Brisbane, Logan, Scenic Rim, Toowoomba, Somerset, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Gympie council areas since Wednesday last week.
From those calls 323 animals have entered the RSPCA’s rescue hospital but spokesperson Emma Lagoon said due to limited resources, the RSPCA wasn’t able to respond to all calls for help.
‘It’s been a tough time for our rescue teams. Like many others, we’ve been limited with our ability to get to every call for help due to flooded roads and staff and volunteers also stranded. Our Rescue Units can only get to places the roads will let us,’ she said.
RSPCA Queensland said they have received over 500 animal rescue calls since Wednesday last week
RSPCA staff and volunteers have rescued and cared for flood-stricken animals since Wednesday last week
An RSPCA Queensland worker nurses a wet joey who was rescued from south-east Queensland’s floods
RSPCA have received calls from Brisbane, Logan, Scenic Rim, Toowoomba, Somerset, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Gympie council areas
‘Sadly we are now seeing more deceased animals that couldn’t survive the weather event, it’s just devastating.’
Ms Lagoon said Queensland and New South Wales wildlife will still feel the effects of the flood long after waters clear.
Some RSPCA shelters have been forced to close due to power outages and road damage but Ms Lagoon confirmed all sheltered animals are safe.
South-east Queensland and north-east NSW are now recovering from a massive flooding event that inundated the region late last week.
More than 323 animals have entered the RSPCA’s rescue hospital over the past week
A koala being nursed back to health by an RSPCA worker after being rescued from floodwater
Some RSPCA shelters have been forced to close due to power outages and road damage but sheltered animals remain safe
Most of the Northern Rivers region – the area around the flooded city of Lismore – is still underwater, however rainfall has eased.
Lismore locals were evacuated from their homes Monday morning after the town’s levee collapsed.
Locals shared harrowing stories of hearing neighbours screaming from inside their homes as floodwater trapped them.
RSPCA Queensland have received hundreds of calls to help animals injured in recent floods
Two Lismore deaths have been confirmed however reports of a number of people missing have been spread on social media by concerned loved ones.
Eight Queenslanders have lost their lives to the vicious floods and some 18,000 homes have been damaged by floods.
Large scale clean-up operations have began in Brisbane after the Brisbane River peaked at 3.85m on Monday.
RSPCA: 1300 ANIMAL
