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NATURE: Australian Bushfire Rescue

Member of the Australian Defence comforts a koala. Meet the people rescuing and caring for the animal survivors of Australia's devastating bushfires. (undated photo)
Courtesy of Anja Taylor, © WildBear Entertainment
Member of the Australian Defence comforts a koala. Meet the people rescuing and caring for the animal survivors of Australia's devastating bushfires. (undated photo)

Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream now with the PBS App

—Meet the people rescuing and caring for the animal survivors of Australia's devastating bushfires—

An estimated 1-3 billion animals died in the horrific Australian bushfires last year. Through the help of tireless volunteers working to rescue the remains of their once-flourishing environment, stories of animal and human resilience have emerged. Rising from the ashes, animal survivors begin their challenging journey back to a wild existence in NATURE "Australian Bushfire Rescue."

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Preview of NATURE: Australian Bushfire Rescue

A series of digital shorts, produced by NATURE, captured the immediate aftermath of the fires and relief efforts, including the rescue of an orphan wombat, the treatment of one of Australia’s deadliest snakes and the story of a selfless citizen who turned her home into an animal sanctuary. Inspired by those journeys, the 60-minute documentary will also follow iconic species like koalas, kangaroos and endangered species of parrots as they face a series of hurdles to recover from their trauma and go back into the wild.

Their stories of rescue, rehabilitation and eventual release sit alongside the remarkable tales of human compassion and dedication from their rescuers and caretakers.

Meet Bear, the Koala Detection Dog

“With this documentary, we wanted to show the humanity that reveals itself through catastrophe.” said Fred Kaufman, executive producer for NATURE. “The people who dedicate themselves to saving and rehabilitating these injured and traumatized animals are incredibly inspiring. It demonstrates how important it is to never lose hope, even in the worst disasters.”

Two Orphan Joeys Welcomed Into New Home

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"Australian Bushfire Rescue" is currently available to stream with the PBS App. Watch the best of PBS anytime, anywhere on the free PBS App. Stream your favorite PBS shows on-demand and livestream shows from your local station, all from your favorite device.

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Episodes of NATURE are available to stream for a limited time after broadcast. Extend your viewing window with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.

The DVD is available to purchase at ShopPBS.org.

Australian Bushfire Rescue: Behind the Scenes

Join The Conversation: NATURE is on Facebook + Instagram #NaturePBS

Credits: NATURE is a production of THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET and PBS. Fred Kaufman is Executive Producer, Bill Murphy is series producer and Janet Hess. "Australian Bushfire Rescue" is a production of WildBear Entertainment and THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET, ZDF/ARTE and ZDFE. The documentary is narrated by Anja Taylor and is directed by Max Bourke. Dr. Holly Trueman is producer. Bettina Dalton, who produced NATURE "Cracking the Koala Code" (2012), is executive producer for WildBear Entertainment.