By now, our regular readers will know that our beloved koalas often find themselves in precarious situations – even under the best of circumstances. In previous articles, we covered the importance of creating koala-friendly backyards including securing dogs at night.

One hazard that often goes unnoticed is netting – the nylon or plastic mesh used for many purposes, including fishing, crop protection, keeping birds out or chickens in, supporting plants, and the use of nets in construction and sports. While useful to us, certain types of netting can pose a serious danger to wildlife.

Recently, Friends of the Koala responded to a call about a mother koala and her joey – named Stevie and Nix, mum had become entangled in netting. Our rescue team carefully removed the mesh, ensuring both animals were unharmed. After a brief period of observation at our Northern Rivers Koala Hospital, mum and bub were successfully released back to their home range – a successful outcome. Unfortunately, as we know all too well, these encounters don’t always end so well.

Why might koalas get caught in netting?

The most common reason comes back to habitat loss. As more of their natural environment is cleared, koalas are forced to venture into unfamiliar areas they might otherwise avoid. This movement increases during the breeding season, when males roam widely in search of a mate, and when juvenile males disperse to establish their own territories.

In these unfamiliar settings, koalas may encounter hazards they don’t recognise – including netting. Koalas may be driven by curiosity, clumsiness, or simple confusion, a koala attempting to climb through or over netting can quickly become entangled, often with serious consequences.

If you come across a koala entangled in netting, please contact our 24/7 emergency rescue hotline: 02 6622 1233 immediately. Our trained rescue team will respond as quickly as possible to assess the situation and provide safe, professional assistance.

For your safety and the koala’s, it is important not to attempt a rescue yourself. Stressed and injured koalas can defend themselves with sharp teeth and claws, and their reactions may be unpredictable. In addition, a trapped koala may have been caught for several hours or even days, leaving them dehydrated, exhausted, injured, in shock or exposure to extreme weather.

If a koala is released without proper assessment, underlying injuries or illnesses can go unnoticed, potentially leading to further suffering or even death after release. By calling our rescue hotline first, you give the koala the best chance of survival and recovery.

Is any netting safe for koalas?

If you need to use netting, choose a wildlife-safe option with holes large enough for a koala’s hand or foot to pass through  – at least 5 mm x 5 mm when stretched. A simple rule of thumb: if you can easily poke your finger through, it is generally safer for wildlife.

Equally important is ensuring the netting is securely fixed so it won’t sag, tear, or create loose sections that could trap an animal.

As an alternative, you can protect your plants (or other item) by covering only individual pieces rather than the entire tree, or by using wildlife-friendly fruit bags. These options reduce the risk to koalas and other native animals while still protecting your harvest.

What You Can Do

• Check your backyard regularly and make sure that it is a koala-friendly backyard.
• Replace old netting with wildlife-safe alternatives.
• Spread the word to neighbours, friends, and community groups.
• Report any injured wildlife immediately to your local rescue organisation.
• Every koala counts. By making small changes in our own gardens, we can prevent tragedies like the one we saw last week, and give these incredible animals a fighting chance.
• If you see a koala in distress, please call our 24/7 rescue hotline on: 02 6622 1233

As we enter koala breeding season, koalas face increased risks, and here at Friends of the Koala, we remain committed to protecting these vulnerable animals through rescue, rehabilitation, and community education. We encourage everyone to stay vigilant, support our work, and take part in Save the Koala Month next month – an important time to raise awareness and strengthen conservation efforts. Together, with your help, we can ensure a safer future for koalas across the Northern Rivers and beyond.

If you would like to learn more, please continue reading:

• Do you live locally? Here are a few ways you can help koalas
• Ways for everyone to help koalas
• World Conservation Day: Protecting Koalas Means Protecting Our Future
• Community Engagement and Education
• Koalas and cars
• Koalas and dogs
• Support Friends of the Koala to do life-saving work
• Wildlife-friendly netting information WIRES
• Dangers of netting for wildlife PETA