Every koala rescue is different and every koala is different.

Call Friends of the Koala 24 hour rescue number on 6622 1233 for koalas in the Northern Rivers.

If living outside the Northern Rivers Click Here to use the Australian White Pages to search online for your local wildlife organisation.

Koalas are extremely cute but are a very specialised animal to both care for and rescue. Because of this there are licensing controls and legal requirements concerning their care. Visit the NSW National Parks and Wildlife website by Clicking Here to find out more about wildlife licensing in New South Wales.

How koalas are handled during their rescue and immediate care will often determine if their rehabilitation is successful.

The following tips and hints will help give the koala the best chance of survival until an experienced koala carer can be contacted.

General tips for all rescues -

• Call Friends of the Koala or your local koala care organisation ASAP.
• Think of your own safety and that of the koala.
• Keep the koala warm and quiet, in a stress free environment with as minimum disturbance as possible, away from pets, children and rowdy adults.
• Do not feed.
• Never pick up from around the ribcage.
• Do not give any medications.
• Contain dogs.
• Vet visits should be organised through Friends of the Koala or your local care organisation as not all vets have the expertise, willingness or experience to assess and treat koalas appropriately. Koalas are a very specialised animal.
• Get as many details as possible about koala location if unable to stay with it until an experienced rescuer can arrive.
• Attend training to find out more.

Tips for various scenarios:

Koalas on the ground weak, easy to pick up and handle - This is a very sick koala. Throw a large blanket or towel over the whole koala and bundle it up. Be gentle in case they have broken bones. Be careful, they may suddenly come to life with vengeance. Gently place in a warm, quiet, safe environment. Ensure they are able to breath freely. Keep disturbance to a minimum. Do not feed although some local leaf can be put in their reach. This koala needs immediate veterinary attention so contact Friends of the Koala ASAP.

Koala high in tree showing signs of illness - Koalas are commonly seen with signs of chlamydia (red eyes or wet bottom) but are still climbing high in the trees. Without treatments and care their prognosis is poor. Friends of the Koala has specialised equipment for catching these koalas. If the koala comes to the ground place something over it such as a laundry basket and contain it until an experienced koala rescuer arrives. These koalas are usually alert and active so can cause injury to people if not handled correctly plus stress to the koala.

Koala been hit by a car - Please stop and check if the koala is dead or alive. If the koala is still alive throw a large blanket or towel over the whole koala and bundle it up. If a koala has been hit it will definately need to come into care. Be gentle in case they have broken bones. Gently place in a warm, quiet environment. Ensure they are able to breath freely. Keep disturbance to a minimum. Do not feed although some local leaf can be put in their reach. Koalas hit by cars need immediate veterinary attention so contact Friends of the Koala ASAP. If the koala has died and is a female please check for pouch young. If there is a joey, bundle the mother and joey up, keep in a warm, quiet spot and call Friends of the Koala. Do not try to feed the joey. Report all road deaths so information can be collated about black spots.

Koala has been attacked by a dog - It is imperative koalas with dog bites are given appropriate medications ASAP if they are to have a chance at survival. Often people feel bad because their dog has attacked a koala so do not call due to embarrassment. Think of the koala, our main aim is to get it back out there in the wild - fit and healthy. If the koala is still very active either catch by placing a laundry basket over the top of it or call an experienced rescuer. If laying on the ground, throw a towel or blanket over the koala and bundle up. Place the koala in a warm, quiet and safe spot and contact Friends of the Koala immediately. Do not offer any medications without consultation with an experienced wildlife vet.

Koala orphans - Pick up gently using a towel or small blanket, depending on size of orphan. Contain the orphan in a box or clean pet carry pack ensuring they are comfortable and easily able to breath. Place in a warm, quiet, safe environment away from pets and children. Provide warmth for the joey ie. a warm (not hot) hot water bottle. Smaller joeys like to be wrapped quite snugly just the same way it feels in their mothers pouch. Do not place the joey directly on the source of heat, put some towels in between. Do not feed or give water. Keep disturbance to a minimum until able to pass on to an experienced koala carer.

Koala really in the wrong spot - Many koalas live in urban areas and are reported in strange places such as store rooms or dangerous places near busy roads. It is preferable not to relocate koalas as they have a home range. The koala may come to more harm trying to get back to its home range than leaving it be. Each scenario is assessed on a case by case basis in consultation with experienced koala carers. Factors to take into account include location, age of koala, surrounding dangers, willingness of people to keep an eye on the koala, koalas health, surrounding habitat and if it is a recurrent event for that koala. If you can find out as much information and relay that to the person on the rescue phone it is much appreciated.

Some case studies of koala rescues (some images may be disturbing) -

Oliver was collected by Friends of the Koala after having been held by a member of the public for an unknown period of time. It was reported his mother had been killed by a car but despite looking, no body was found in the area. Oliver was handled by children and carried around like a human baby prior to coming into care. Despite drinking his milk well he did not settle into care. 8 days later Oliver died. A postmortem found he had a considerable amount of bruising around his ribcage most likely from being picked up incorrectly and a stress related problem in his caecum. Oliver would have had a far better chance had he come into care as soon as he was found.

Hewy was found on the ground so cold and stiff the people who found him thought he had died. At 1.7kg he was too young to be away from his mother. After calling Friends of the Koala his rescuers warmed up some towels in the dryer, wrapped him up snuggly and immediately drove him into the Care Centre. Within a short time he was able to receive the veterinary attention he needed to save his life. Thanks to his rescuers Hewy has the best chance of getting back to the wild.

Ted was hit by a car and suffered extensive injuries as a result. Friends of the Koala was not called until over 24 hours after he had been hit. The pain Ted would have been suffering would have been immense. He had been given some home medications which were inappropriate for koalas and would have resulted in his death even if he had been able to survive his injuries. As soon as he was seen by a Friends of the Koala carer an out of hours vet visit was arranged but Ted died in the short time it took for the vet to arrive.

Eve was found on the ground, lost, covered in ticks and too small to be away from her mum. Friends of the Koala was immediately called. The person who found Eve had previous experience with wildlife so gently picked her up, provided warmth and placed her in a quiet room where she stayed for the short time it took a Friends of the Koala rescuer to arrive. Eve was immediately transferred to an experienced koala carer who had other koalas of a similar size. Eve quickly settled down into her new routine and was successfully released several months later with the other koalas she was raised with.

Lewis was picked up by a well meaning person when spotted in a tree alone and without his mother. He was too young to be by himself. It was 3 days until Friends of the Koala was called. By this time Lewis was very dehydrated as even though he had been eating leaf he had not been fed the milk he required. He was immediately seen by a vet, put on an IV drip to increase his fluids, given other necessary medications and then placed with an experienced koala home carer. While Lewis is now recovering well however his chances of a successful rehabilitation were compromised by the delay in getting him to an experienced koala carer.