Dramatic Rescues Highlight Koala Survival Challenges

September 8, 2024

24/7 KOALA RESCUE

The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital operates emergency koala rescue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How do we do this? Amazingly, all our rescuers and the people that answer the emergency phone line are volunteers. We are lucky to have dedicated people who understand the importance of rescuing sick or injured koalas whenever possible, and who want to make a personal contribution to the conservation of the species. ‘I believe this work is crucial, we literally need to save every koala we can.’ (Rescuer, Dale Cooper)

The commitment is significant – training in rescue protocols, operating the overnight phone line, being ready and available to drop everything and head out rain or shine, day or night to assess koalas and if necessary bring them into care, also dealing with the trauma rescuers experience during some rescues. Calls to the emergency line usually come in from members of the public who have seen a koala with signs of disease or trauma (most commonly car accident or dog attack). Koalas can be found in dangerous or unsuitable locations. These koalas are sometimes brought in to the Hospital for a health check, or in some circumstances may be quickly relocated to a safe area nearby.

‘It’s not easy to rescue a koala but the rewards are huge. After a rescue, I follow their progress through rehabilitation. And their obvious joy when they go back to the wild, it’s priceless’. (Rescuer, Carol Dalton)

Although koalas look gentle and easy-going from a distance, this can change when humans approach. Even when sick or injured, a wild koala will regard a human as a serious threat, and they will do everything they can to escape capture. They are superbly adapted for arboreal life, and have excellent climbing ‘equipment’ including long sharp claws and well-muscled limbs. Once they think they are in danger, a koala can move like a monkey in terms of speed and expertise in the trees.

We really value the members of the public who phone in about koalas needing help, and support them as much as we can. Our rescuers have learned how to safely and skilfully approach koalas. Our aim is to get close enough to initially assess the animal’s condition. We consider the observations of the person who called in the rescue, if there are no signs of injury or illness, we will leave the koala if it is safe to do so. When a koala requires capture, our skilled rescuers proceed with great consideration for the koala’s safety.

Our rescue technique involves carefully encouraging the koala down from the tree and capturing it in a large, thick cotton bag. When a koala is too high to reach with our telescopic poles, we engage our volunteers who go to great heights to bring animals down. One of our rescuers is a trained tree climber, using a harness and ropes; and another operates an elevated work platform to capture koalas.

When a rescue is carried out successfully, there is no direct human contact with the koala, instead we use a capture bag and carry basket only. This is for the health and safety of our rescuers in addition to the wellbeing and respect for the wild koala. We transport koalas in specially made cages with a cloth cover over the outside to reduce visual stimuli.

It is important to respect koalas as wild animals. We do not pat, stroke or talk to koalas. They are not pet animals and can find us incredibly frightening. While koalas may sit still, or slowly walk away when approached by humans or other animals, despite appearances they do not do so calmly. Small signs of fear and distress, such as rapid, shallow breathing, show us that the koala is releasing adrenaline which can compound ill health.

‘I am committed to helping these animals which amazingly still live amongst us in Port Macquarie. Rescue work was so hard and tough during the Black Summer bushfire season here and in other parts of NSW. The tragic loss I witnessed strengthened my resolve to help any way I can’. (Jeremy Bear, Rescue Coordinator and rescuer)

IF YOU SEE A KOALA IN DISTRESS…

Call the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on 02 6584 1522 if you are on the Mid North Coast of NSW. In other areas contact your local wildlife rescue organisation.
Follow the instructions of the phone operator.
Stay at the scene until rescuers arrive. Keep the koala in your line of sight if possible.
Minimise stress to the koala. Noise and activity, human touch and talking will all frighten the koala.