After 4 months of intensive care, in the capable hands of vet Claude at the Australian Wildlife Hospital, Barbie has returned to Friends of the Koala ready for release.

Barbie was a young koala, only 18months of age, when she was caught in a barbed wire fence. She had become entangled as the barbs had wrapped around into the skin in her hind leg near her abdoman. Initially there were grave concerns it had punctured her intestines but luckily this was not the case. Due to the extent of the injuries and because she would need intensive veterinary attention including a good supply of pain relief, Barbie was transported to the Australian Wildlife Hospital after an initial clean up and some pain relief at our local vet.

Claude, Barbie's vet at AWH, spent many months, cleaning and bandaging her wounds. She was in ICU for several weeks until all infection was stopped and new skin started to grow back.It was a very happy day recently when Claude brought her back to our area herself.

Barbie is a very independant and fiesty koala, a personality trait which has probably helped her though her ordeal. She was keen to go and climbed straight up her pre release tree. She did a bit of an explore then started eating leaf.

She is now high up in her tree. The gate is open on her run allowing her to come and go as she pleases until she feels confident back out there in the wild.

A huge thankyou to all the work Claude put in for her at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. Work that was all very much worthwhile.