Male Koala Found Hugging And Holding Deceased Female Koala
Heartbreaking.
By Tamara Jayne — 26 Feb 2024, 10:24 AM
Koala rescuers in Australia received a distressing call about a male koala who was reported to have been found holding and hugging a deceased female koala
Koala Rescue group, a 24/7 volunteer service based in Adelaide, shared a video of the heartbreaking scene on 22 February.
According to the group, members of the public spotted a male koala holding a deceased female koala in its arms in Coromandel Valley, south-east of Adelaide.
"This type of behaviour is rarely witnessed by our rescuers, but confirms the empathetic and caring nature of koalas... the male koala's reaction to death really does represent the truly beautiful nature that koalas are capable of representing," the group stated.
The deceased female was discovered lying at the base of a tree, with the male koala clinging to it, embracing it closely in its arms, akin to what humans might do
The rescue group thanked a woman named Daniella and her daughter, who had alerted them to the scene and stayed with the koalas until rescuers arrived.
The group rescued both koalas and made sure the male was in good health before releasing him nearby.
The video left many viewers feeling saddened by the scene.
Do animals have empathy?
Research has revealed that just like humans, animals also exhibit various forms of empathetic behaviour, with grief being among the emotions they share with us.
In the wild, many animals, such as elephants, dolphins, and dogs have displayed instances of grief-like behaviours that are indicative of empathy. This includes decreased eating or sleeping, heightened agitation, tending to a companion's body, or withdrawing from social interactions.
For example, chacma baboon mothers continue to carry their infants for up to 10 days following their death. In one specific incident, a snub-nosed monkey cradled her deceased infant for four days until researchers intervened to remove it.
During this period, she tenderly groomed the lifeless body and emitted vocalisations for days after its removal. Additionally, she distanced herself from the social group, exhibiting a withdrawal from typical activities like social grooming, mirroring the behaviour observed in grieving humans.
