facts and care advice
Koalas
While Fauna Rescue have limited carers for Koalas we acknowledge the assistance of Koala Rescue in answering our rescue calls regarding Koalas. (https://koalarescue.com.au/ )
MANGE: Phone Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527)
If you come across a Koala with mange and have had physical contact, It is advisable to:
- Shower
- Apply Lyclear Cream (available from chemist) over whole body
- Leave on for 8 hours or overnight
- Change bed linen
- If your dog has had contact with a Koala with mange, check with your vet
DOG ATTACK
Prevention:
- If you notice a Koala in a tree in your yard, please contain pet dog/s. This may be overnight until the koala leaves
Attack:
- If you notice a Koala in a tree in your yard, please contain pet dog/s. This may be overnight until the koala leaves
- Remove and contain the dog away from the Koala
- All dog attacks, no matter even if there are no visible injuries, always phone immediately Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527)
HEAT STRESS
- It is a myth that Koala do not drink water
- Shallow container filled with water (not a bucket), left at base of tree, but away from where dogs roam
- Umbrella for shade
- Gentle spray of water over Koala
- Phone Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527)
SWIMMING POOLS
- Although Koalas can swim, they can drown in swimming pools as they cannot get out.
- Leave rope or ladder in pool for koala to climb to get out
- Pool cover on tightly, but check routinely as Koalas can slip under a pool cover
- If a Koala falls into pool you can retrieve by providing something e.g. towel or broom stick to grab onto and climb out
- Once out of the pool, If Koala is mobile do not intervene
- Phone Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527)
KOALA SITTING ON GROUND, HUNCHED OVER
- Phone Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527)
DEAD KOALA
- Check if male or female (male genitalia is exposed)
- If female, check pouch for a Joey
- DO NOT remove the Joey from the pouch
- Phone Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527)
- For statistics purposes please advise Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline of any dead Koala
TAGS
If you come across a Koala that has been ear tagged please phone Fauna Rescue Koala Hotline 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527).
Many people think caring for a Koala would be easy but on the contrary.
- Caring for Koalas is an expensive and full time commitment
- Carers must have DEW accredited Koala Carer’s Permit which is a long process
- Should belong to an established Wildlife Organisation for continual education of Koalas
- It is illegal to be in possession of a koala dead or alive without a permit
- Joeys under 300g are usually not viable
- Joeys need 24 hour around the clock care
- Specialised formula needs to be given every 3 – 4 hourly
- It is crucial that a pouch young has had pap
- Very low immune system, therefore can deteriorate unexpectedly
- Adult Koalas eat up to 1 kilo of leaf a day, which needs to be sourced fresh daily
- There are over 900 different varieties of eucalyptus leaf and Koalas prefer only about 20 of these
- Koalas are territorial therefore releasing a Koala has to be considered
- South Australia: Breeding season is between September to February
- Birth period October to April
- Pap serves as a first solid food. As the young Joey approaches 5-6 months of age, the mother begins to prepare it for its eucalyptus diet by pre-digesting the leaves and producing a faecal pap that the Joey eats
- Baby Koalas may stay with their mother until 2 years of age
- Male Koalas have a brown scent gland which is located on the sternum
- Male Koalas have an extra set of vocal cords which lie outside the voice box, or larynx. This is unique only to the Koala. Due to this, a male Koala can make a bellowing call 20 times deeper than would be expected for an animal of that size
- Koalas like primates are unique as they have fingerprints like humans
- A high prevalence of SA Koalas suffer with Oxalate Nephrosis which is characterised by the precipitation of calcium oxalate in the kidney. This causes affected Koalas to become ill due to kidney dysfunction and most times a slow painful death
- A high prevalence of SA Koalas also suffer with Chlamydia and Retrovirus (auto immune disease)
Gallery
Please donate to our Koala fund
Simply add ‘Koala Fund’ to the order id when donating securly via Paymate.