Success stories from Friends of the Koala!
Elsa and Hemsworth (hmmm...who were they named after?!)
Mum Elsa (named after Elsa Pataky, who is married to Chris Hemsworth) and baby Hemsworth (named after, well...) were brought into Friends of the Koala in late October 2019. Hemsworth flourished while Elsa was recovering from chlamydial cystitis. She was given the all clear in January 2020 and both were released back into their natual habitat.
The lovely volunteers of Friends of the Koala keep an eye on them - and recently noticed another joey popping out of Elsa's pouch! They think they'll name it Liam.
Regi, the Wonder Boy
Regi is a Friends of the Koala superstar patient!
In August 2020 he was badly attacked by a dog and had wounds on his head, both arms and rump. The wounds became infected by a bacteria, which was aggressive and resistant to many of the antibiotics they use on koalas. But against all odds, Regi exceeded expectations and made a full recovery. Hooray!
At release, there was no hesitation, he just ran up the tree like nothing had ever been wrong. Witnessing this made everyone sigh in relief, as they weren't 100% confident in his strength. He must have had dumbbells stashed under his bed because he was in excellent condition!
Even though Regi was a fighter from the start, his remarkable success is all due to the Friends of the Koala Clinical team, Dr Jackie and Marley. They didn't give up and it is a credit to them that Regi's return to health and the wild was such a success.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.