February 1st, 2025Hepburn wildlife news

with Marita McGuirk

On a hot day in January, a bushwalker was enjoying a walk along one of the Hepburn Shire tracks when he saw a koala sitting at the base of a tree.

It was mid-afternoon, an unusual time to see a koala on the ground, as they are nocturnal and usually stay in their tree and sleep throughout the day.

So, he went over to see if the koala was hurt. It was a large animal, panting rapidly and clearly unwell. A healthy koala would quickly try to get away from an approaching human by climbing the nearest tree, but this koala remained sitting.

As the bushwalker was concerned for the koala’s safety he phoned the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter.

Trevor, a wildlife rescuer, was contacted to go and pick up the koala. This meant walking for an hour to the site where the koala was located, and then carefully picking up the koala and carrying it for an hour back along the track.

This was no small effort as it was a large male. Rescuing a koala is a specialised task as they have very strong sharp claws, and a frightened animal can bite.

Trevor is very experienced and was able to pick up the large koala and carry him for an hour back to his car and then on to the shelter.

At the shelter Jon Rowdon had to clear out an enclosure for the koala, meanwhile Gayle Chappell conducted a health assessment and concluded that the koala was very dehydrated and possibly blind in one eye.

Gayle put the koala into the ICU and gave him rehydration fluids.

The koala spent the night in the ICU, where his condition was closely monitored, and the following day he was moved to his enclosure to recuperate.

Gayle is hoping to get an animal eye specialist to come and assess the koala’s damaged eye and, in the meantime, he is in safe hands.

Marita McGuirk is a field ecologist and environmental scientist, and a volunteer at the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter. Marita will write monthly columns about the shelter and the animals it cares for. If you would like to donate or volunteer, or just for more information, head to www.hepburnwildlifeshelter.org