26/03/2026
A four-legged hero who helped save koalas from Australia’s firegrounds is hanging up his boots - and his retirement marks the end of an extraordinary decade.
Bear, the detection dog who became famous during the Black Summer bushfires, officially retired on 20 March 2026 after 10 years of service with IFAW and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Now 11 years old, Bear was trained to sniff out live koalas and other wildlife in need of rescue, dropping to the base of a tree when he made a find. During the 2019-20 bushfires, his searches across scorched landscapes helped locate more than 100 koalas, many of them needing urgent veterinary care.
Bear’s bravery, including his now-famous red protective boots, won admiration around the world and helped shine a light on the threat climate change poses to koalas. In retirement, the Australian koolie will live on the Sunshine Coast with one of his former handlers, enjoying belly rubs and endless games of fetch while his teammates continue the conservation work he helped inspire.