Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/comfort-koala/

When someone feels scared and anxious, the initial reaction is to find comfort in a certain object. It can be through music on your phone, a safety blanket, a cherished accessory — or anything and anyone that makes you feel at ease. Babies often feel secure with a blanket, pillow, or stuffed toy. Infants cling to their comfort objects every day or just while sleeping. It also helps them calm down when away from their parents.

A baby Koala from Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has experienced the same thing. Flora feels at ease with her soft “comfort koala” toy during checkups. An Instagram page named Pet curated the video from the hospital’s account. The video shows baby Flora holding tight to her comfort koala friend while being weighed during a checkup. Sadly, the koala joey was separated from her mother. Athena, the mom, couldn’t attend to her baby, as she had chlamydia. The story was shared in the caption of the hospital’s own Instagram post.

With the help of Flora’s soft comfort friend, she successfully had her checkup without getting scared. Regular hospital visits are essential for koala joeys to ensure good health as they grow up. According to the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, Flora and her mother, Athena, will spend time in koala rehab before returning to their natural habitat. Mother Koala and Joey are both under the care of Wildlife Care Australia and Wires Wildlife Rescue.

The soft content from the hospital’s page has already gained one million views, over 40,000 likes, and thousands of comments. Many Instagram users left an emoji of a flower for baby Flora — showing how they fell in love with her at first sight. Viewers of the Instagram reel can’t help but gush at the soft and cuddly content the hospital has shared. Aside from Flora, other koala joeys are also provided with a soft comfort friend during hospital visits. The hospital shared that it helps the small koalas feel supported during treatments.

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has given the best care for wildlife in Australia, and you can see it on their Instagram page. Their strong determination has helped many animals receive treatments and provided them with a healthier life. To get involved and support their advocacy, you can donate, adopt, or volunteer by visiting their website. Just like baby Flora, other wildlife babies will be rescued and nurtured in a safe and comforting environment.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog