S8 Ep656: Summary 2 Jeremy Zakis shares the story of Bear, a heroic koala detection dog who recently retired. As a specially trained "Coolie," Bear located dozens of injured koalas during the devastating 2019-2020 Australian bushfires. His legacy continues through
The John Batchelor Show
John Batchelor
4.5 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 29 March 2026
⏱️ 10 minutes
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Summary
Summary 2 Jeremy Zakis shares the story of Bear, a heroic koala detection dog who recently retired. As a specially trained "Coolie," Bear located dozens of injured koalas during the devastating 2019-2020 Australian bushfires. His legacy continues through other trained dogs who now protect wildlife in harsh, fire-prone environments across the country. (2)
1854 GREAT BUSH FIRE.
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| 0:34.4 | with Indeed. This is the Friends of history debating society i'm john |
| 0:39.3 | bachelor my colleague jeremy zakis is in new south wales and speaking of dry summers and the |
| 0:46.6 | worry about wildfires bushfires the most worrisome aspect of a bushfire or wildfire is that the creatures get caught. |
| 0:56.7 | You understand the most paralyzing moment in my childhood was watching Bambi and know the fire was coming. |
| 1:05.2 | The terrible feeling that you suddenly as a child feels sympathy, |
| 1:11.5 | you feel one with the little animals running. |
| 1:14.3 | Well, that happens in Australia too, |
| 1:16.8 | except what doesn't run are the koalas. |
| 1:20.7 | They hold on to their eucalyptus tree, |
| 1:23.0 | which is like holding onto a torch. |
| 1:26.2 | Enter bear. Jeremy, Bear has retired. |
| 1:29.4 | Who is Bear? What made him a hero? |
| 1:34.4 | Well, Bear is what we call a coolly dog, which is effectively a working dog, a healer. |
| 1:39.3 | One of those dogs you see on the sheep stations here in Australia, |
| 1:42.5 | and often used for rounding up sheep |
| 1:44.2 | or looking after cattle. |
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