An Australian beekeeper has emphasised the “importance of preserving natural habitats” as he came across a koala near his hives.
Ben Moore from Blackburn South recently recorded a video of a marsupial sitting on a tree near one of his remote apiaries.
The short clip became an instant hit after being uploaded on Instagram where Ben has more than 34,400 followers.
Speaking to NewsX of which the Bee News community is a part, Ben called the encounter his “highlight of the year.”
Ben said: “This rare sighting was a delightful surprise. It added a touch of wildlife wonder to the already successful year.”
The 45-year-old family man and entrepreneur said he appreciated that the clip drew “even more attention” to apiculture and “the importance of preserving natural habitats for such unique wildlife encounters.”
Ben argued: “The koala sighting not only became a symbol of the thriving business but also highlighted the harmonious coexistence of wildlife and human enterprise.”
University of Sydney zoologist Dr Valentina Mella explained: “Koalas are arboreal animals, which means that they live in trees and rely on them for food, shelter and their overall survival.
“Koalas actually spend most of their lives in trees and the only time they are on the ground is when they are trying to find another tree with a more generous food supply.”
It is not the first time that one of Ben’s videos caused a stir.
In November 2022, he stunned his followers by posting a clip in which he coolly stretched out his right hand directly at the entrance of a hive.
Entitled “Giving the bees a helping hand”, the 20-second footage showed the pollinators swarming around and sitting on the palm of his hand. A small snail is resting there at the same time.
Asked to explain his action in consideration of many people’s fear of insects, Ben told NewsX: “Bees like any animal just require the right mindset to be able to handle them. Plus, a bit of cool smoke passives them.”
In June 2023, Ben issued a passionate appeal to support small businesses.
He published a list of activities which were priced at AUD 0.00. The chart included tasks such as “referring friends and family”, “subscribing to their e-mails” and “sharing their content.”
Ben captioned the post saying: “With Australia’s economy on the downturn and food and fuel prices at all-time highs, this is what everyone can do to help small businesses across the country!”
