Member Blog: A second chance in the wild for bushfire-injured koala

Robyn was orphaned in the fires and found seeking refuge in a water trough at a farm near Yarck as blazes swept through the region before she was taken to a pop-up triage centre established by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Healesville Sanctuary Veterinary Nurse Hayley admits Robyn had obviously experienced trauma and dehydration when they first saw her for treatment.

“She had burns to her four feet, nose and singed fur down her back. Her wounds were not very comfortable, and she was underweight,” said Vet Nurse Hayley.

Robyn was the first patient to receive care in the new Intensive Care Unit at the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Healesville Sanctuary, supported by the Wood Foundation. In the beginning, Robyn’s care was very intensive with her condition touch and go. The six-month-old needed daily monitoring for her bandages and pain relief.

Vet Nurse Hayley said, “It’s a real team effort to be able to get these guys through. Even if Robyn wasn’t a baby, it is very intensive. They require fresh food every single day.

They require specific hospital housing because they do become stressed if they can’t sit up in a little tree. We had to arrange a small mini fork for her where she could sit in our new intensive care unit and we provided ongoing care.”

Luckily, Robyn was at the age when she would have started learning skills from her mother in the wild, and, at the cusp of weaning it meant the hospital team could provide both milk and leaves for her to gain weight.

After four months of care, the day finally arrived for Robyn to return home. It was a crisp, sunny morning when two vet nurses drove to a release site near where she was originally found. Wildlife is always returned to where they were found to increase their chances of survival. The team selected a corridor of trees with fresh growth for food and shelter that is also near a creek.

For the team who cared for her, Robyn’s release is a reminder of why this work matters, and the feeling is incredibly rewarding.

“Robyn seemed very excited as she came out of the transport crate. There was a little breeze, and you could see her smelling the fresh air. She was ready to go as soon as we got her to the base of the tree.

We watched her to make sure she settled in. She had a wonderful time checking out the different branches. She was looking out on the horizon watching the birds. It’s so nice to see her not in a hospital situation after she’s been through so much and finally be free to enjoy the wild,” Vet Nurse Hayley said.

From here it is all up to Robyn. The team hopes she will go on to thrive in the wild and one day have joeys of her own.

Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre treats approximately 2,000 patients annually. Visitors can see the incredible vet work thanks to the glass internal walls of the hospital.

Found a sick, injured or orphaned animal? For a full list of who can help, visit zoo.org.au/emergency-wildlife-help/