Release

Being wild and free is the best outcome for our koalas. Once our koala patient has been treated and rehabilitated, we start the ‘release’ process. This begins by giving the koala a period to practice their 'wild' behaviors, such as climbing, in a safe and secure environment where human interaction is minimal.

Some koalas will never be able to return safely to the wild due to permanent impairment. If the koala has a good quality of life, we will keep them at the Koala Hospital so they can live out their days in comfort and safety. These are our resident koalas, which you can visit at our hospital or Wild Koala Breeding Centre and adopt if you’d like to support them.

Back to 'Home Range'

When a koala has been given a clean bill of health, our trained team members carefully transport it in one of our vehicles—covered in a blanket and basket—back to the area from which it was rescued. If this was a road or a backyard, we would select a safe, suitable food tree nearby and release the koala onto that tree.

We must release koalas back to their 'home range' as they rely on familiar trees, scents, or landmarks. Koalas will not settle in unfamiliar territory and will continue to search for their familiar home range. This is risky, as they are likelier to attempt dangerous road crossings and enter properties with dogs. They also risk losing fitness and can become more susceptible to illness or disease.