In any case, moments are precious because of this. So, let’s consider one such precious, once-in-a-lifetime moment: the time this one owl decided to come chill on this one wildlife photographer’s photo lens. 

Yep, this exact thing happened to photographer Scott Dere, but thanks to the quick and tactful reflexes of photographer Beaumon Day, we now have a photo of it! 

“It was very early and my husband shouted at me to go and see something. I didn’t know what he was talking about, but then I saw a tiny koala curled up on top of Asha,” Kerry told News.com.au. “I started laughing. Poor Asha didn’t know what to think, she looked at me in confusion. She even looked guilty when I went outside to see what was going on. It was so funny.” It’s a mystery how the koala ended up with Asha. 

The most plausible explanation is that the baby was separated from its mother, as it is very young. “I think the koala fell out of its mother’s bag and didn’t know what to do. It could have come into our yard and seen the dog on the bed and grabbed Asha because she was nice and warm.” 

“Asha definitely saved his life by keeping him warm. He would have died there alone all night. He could have been taken by a fox or something.” He claims that it was not easy to separate them, as the koala did not want to let go of Asha. 

But the little one is fine. After being taken to the vet, a local koala keeper has kept it until it can be taken back to its habitat. 

The experience was “an amazing thing to see and uniquely Australian.”

Photo credit: Kerry McKinnon / Caters News
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White-tailed eagles, which have a wing span up to 2.5 metres, were once a common sight across southern England until the 18th century when they were wiped out by illegal killing. They were last recorded in England in 1780 at Culver Cliff on the Isle of Wight, before becoming extinct in the whole of the UK in 1918 when the final bird was shot on the Scottish Shetland Islands. 

European populations of the sea eagle also suffered from heavy persecution, which led to significant declines and extinction in several countries, according to Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). But thanks to Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation this lost species is making a comeback. 

Last summer, six young white-tailed eagles were released on the Isle of Wight as part of a five-year project to restore the species to southern England. The birds were collected from the wild in Scotland, where the species was reintroduced in the 1970s under a similar scheme, before they were brought to the island. 

They have been fitted with GPS trackers and the team behind the programme have been tracking four of the young birds as they make their first trips. The satellite data has given the team fascinating insights into the behaviour of the birds, who were largely sedentary over winter but have begun to explore further afield, including Norfolk, Kent and Somerset, now spring has arrived. 

Two of the eagles, G393, a male, and G318, a female, flew as far the North York Moors. The pair stayed in the national park for days, but also took a trip out to the coast where they spent four hours exploring a 12-mile stretch between Whitby and Saltburn-by-Sea. Another male bird, G274, completed a 325-mile tour of southeast England for three day, and appears to have bonded with G324, a female, on the Isle of Wight over the winter months. 

G324 has generally been the most sedentary of the four birds since release but was spotted soaring with paragliders over the west Wight along with G274. White-tailed eagles do not breed until they are about four or five years old, however it is hoped G274 and G324 might form a breeding pair if they survive until then. 

Satellite data has given the team fascinating insights into the birds’ behaviour, showing they choose days with the best conditions to make their big moves, preferring a tailwind and clear skies. The birds are known as “sit-and-wait" foragers, who prefer to wait and watch their prey rather than fly great distances for food, which saves valuable energy. 

Roy Dennis, founder of The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation said: “I have spent much of my life working on the reintroduction of these amazing birds and so watching them take to the skies of the Isle of Wight has been a truly special moment. “Establishing a population of white-tailed eagles in the south of England will link and support emerging populations of these birds in the Netherlands, France and Ireland, with the aim of restoring the species to the southern half of Europe.” 

Bruce Rothnie, from Forestry England, added: “We are immensely proud that the woodlands we manage on the Isle of Wight and surrounding South Coast are now home to these incredibly rare birds as they return to England’s coastline.” Source

And sometimes when you rescue an animal, they’ll rescue you in return. That’s what one man found out when his adopted dogs stepped up to save the day. A man named Robert McGowan found two pit bulls in a local shelter. 

According to The Dodo, the dogs had had a rough life and were abandoned. That’s not surprising—pit bulls are the most common breed of dogs found in shelters, and their reputation as aggressive dogs scares people away from taking them in. 

But Robert opened his heart to the poor dogs, adopted them and named them Ellabelle and Ladybug.

  He gave them a loving home, and the pit bulls proved to be kind, friendly dogs. But in once recent incident, the dogs revealed their true character. 

One night Robert was in his garage when suddenly he was assaulted by four strangers. They punched him, giving him a black eye, and were intent on stealing his car. 

They demanded the keys, and Robert told him they were inside. Little did they know what else they would find in there.

  Suddenly, the two pit bulls stepped up to their owner’s defense, barking and chasing the assailants away. “They chased them out,” Robert told The Dodo. 

“My girls ran into the garage and stood over me.” “They stood there barking, making it clear that no one was going to hurt me anymore. The four people took off.” 

Robert says the dogs really are docile and not aggressive, despite the breed’s reputation… but they won’t hesitate to get defensive when their loved one is threatened. It’s a story that proves how loyal and loving rescue dogs can be. It’s easy to imagine how things might’ve been if Robert hadn’t taken them home. Robert implored people reading his story to consider adopting. 

“They are rescues. Unwanted dogs,” he wrote. “They saved my life. Please consider adopting a rescue. They might save your life too.”
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