The last 12 months have seen a record number of koalas killed or severely injured due to vehicle strikes in the region and Friends of the Koala are calling on locals and visitors to take care of our iconic koalas this coming long weekend.
‘We’re asking that all residents, motorists, and visitors to the Northern Rivers region this coming long weekend be mindful that koala habitat is all around them. It’s important to keep their wellbeing in mind as you travel through the area to minimise the risk of accidents,’ Silva Everaers, General Manager at Friends of the Koala, said with the King’s Birthday long weekend coming up.
Between May 2023 and May 2024 Friends of the Koala received reports of 71 koalas who were hit by vehicles, of which only 13 were able to be rehabilitated and released back to the wild. Unfortunately, 80 per cent of koalas hit by vehicles last year did not survive the impact.
Stop and call in the hit
If an accident does occur in the Northern Rivers region, or if you see a koala close to or on the road, motorists are urged to stop and call the Friends of the Koala 24/7 rescue team immediately on 02 6622 1233, regardless of the perceived severity of the accident and whether the koala seems healthy, injured or dead.
If possible, the team asks that callers stay with the animal until a qualified and licensed rescuer arrives, or to provide detailed information about the location, such as GPS coordinates or landmarks, if they cannot stay.
Those who see a koala are urged not to touch or try to transport them to safety themselves, as this could pose a significant risk to the health and safety of both animals and humans.
It’s confronting to be in a wildlife accident or to see an injured or potentially dead animal on or near the road, but you should never assume that there is nothing you can do to help,’ said Ms Everaers.
‘We’ve seen countless cases where koalas who appear to be dead were later rehabilitated, or who had a joey in their pouch that could be saved.’
Orion, a young male koala hit by a car in June 2023, is just one example of how immediate care can save the lives of this endangered Australian species.
When he arrived at the Northern Rivers Koala Hospital last year, Orion had multiple rib fractures, a collapsed left lung, a fractured left shoulder, head injuries, difficulty breathing, and bleeding into his lungs. However, with state-of-the-art care from the veterinary and volunteer teams at Friends of the Koala’s Northern Rivers Koala Hospital, Orion was able to recover fully and be released back home after four months in care.
Dr Jodie Wakeman, Clinical and Research Director, said their Koala Hospital is purpose-built to save and rehabilitate koalas in such situations.
‘Calling for immediate help ensures our 24/7 volunteer hotline and rescue team can get them to our facilities as soon as possible and, in many cases, save their or their joeys’ lives, just like it did with Orion,’ she said.
Friends of the Koala’s dedicated Northern Rivers Koala Hospital has rehabilitation facilities on-site and more than 300 volunteers who help rehabilitate koalas until they can be released back to their homes in the wild.
The organisation has been working on a range of habitat protection, restoration and creation initiatives for the past 38 years to ensure koalas have a safe place to call home.
Friends of the Koala offers the following recommendations for motorists:
1. Reduce speed: koalas are often difficult to spot from a distance, especially at night, and can cross the road unexpectedly. Lowering your speed will give you more time to react and avoid collisions.
2. Be cautious: Pay extra attention when driving through areas identified as wildlife habitats, or where signage indicates recent sightings.
3. Report every koala you see close to, or on a road immediately, whether they appear healthy, injured or dead.
4. If a koala is on or near the road and may have been hit by a car, stay with the animal until a rescuer attends. If you cannot stay, try to be as exact as possible about the location i.e specific addresses, GPS points or landmarks are incredibly helpful.
6. Save the phone numbers of Northern Rivers wildlife rescue organisations in your phone, so you are ready to report any sightings or accidents. For koalas across the Northern Rivers, call Friends of the Koala’s 24/7 koala rescue hotline 02 6622 1233.
7. Download IFAW’s Wildlife Rescue App to be connected to the closest licensed wildlife rescue group across Australia at the touch of a button.’
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