Koala-ty heath check at Healesville Sanctuary
A very fluffy and adorable wild koala joey has been rescued after being discovered alone on the ground in Victoria’s east.
A wildlife carer found the youngster while on a bush walking track near Gladysdale in Victoria’s east and carried out an extensive search of the area just in case it had fallen from its mother’s back, before transporting the joey to Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre.
Healesville Sanctuary Veterinarian Dr Peter Holz said it is pretty unusual for a koala joey to be found alone, as mother koalas typically stay close to their offspring.
“To check if the animal was healthy, we administered an anesthetic, conducted X-rays and did a weight check,” Dr Holz said.
“We took X-rays to double check for any signs of trauma as koalas often get fractured ribs or, if they have fallen from a tree, there may be a broken leg or arm. But this one was lucky.
“The koala joey had slight bruising on one of its testicles, but otherwise, it is in good condition.”
The prognosis for the four to five-month-old koala joey is promising. The wildlife carer who found the joey will continue to care for it until it is old enough to be returned to the wild near where it was found.
Koalas are one of Australia’s most iconic animals and can spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping in a tree. Their diet consists almost entirely of eucalyptus leaves. This arboreal mammal is categorised as Vulnerable in Queensland, NSW and the ACT, and Near Threatened in Victoria.
Threats to this species include loss of habitat due to agriculture and development, the disease Chlamydia, and koalas are also susceptible to dog attacks when on the ground.
Zoos Victoria and Healesville Sanctuary visitors are reminded that all tickets must be pre-booked online at zoo.org.au. Zoos Victoria Members no longer need to book but are required to scan their Membership card to gain entry.