Welcome to June at Friends of the Koala. Breeding season is officially here and that means koalas are on the move!

June also brings us to the end of the financial year, and we wanted to take a moment to share where we are with our hospital expansion fundraiser. Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we have now raised just over $139,748 towards our $500,000 goal. We are so grateful, but we still have a long way to go, and any donation made before 30 June is tax deductible.

With El Niño conditions forecast, we are expecting a hotter and drier summer than usual. For koalas, prolonged heat and drought pose a real threat to their habitat and food sources, and mean more are on the move. That means more callouts, and more koalas needing our help.

Expanding the hospital is how we make sure we are ready.

If you have been thinking about supporting the expansion, now is a wonderful time to do it.

This past month, as always, there have been both highs and lows. At times the work is gut wrenching, but our amazing volunteers keep on going. As many of you already know, we like to keep things positive around here, and in that vein we are celebrating some wonderful releases this month, including the last two joeys of the season.

Cassy and Cob

Cassy and Cob are now free to live their wildest adventures! Both did beautifully in soft release, climbing and exploring the bigger trees with growing confidence before their enclosure was opened and they were off!

Quazie

Four year old Quazie from Inverell was admitted in mid May after being spotted limping near a dog park. A thorough assessment on admission revealed signs of old trauma and blood in his abdomen, which had already begun to resolve and did not require treatment. Quazie was kept in care for observation until our team was satisfied he was ready, and we are delighted to report he was successfully released this month. Well done Quazie!

Joeys in Home Care

Brightheart

Six month old Brightheart arrived in care in May, admitted from South Gundurimba alongside her mum Shadowheart following a car strike. Heartbreakingly, x-rays revealed that Shadowheart had sustained multiple skull fractures, and despite every effort, she could not be saved. Little Brightheart was left an orphan.

Thankfully, Brightheart herself was uninjured, and she is now in the very capable hands of carer Liz, receiving around the clock feeding and monitoring. At just six months old and weighing only 324 grams on arrival, she faces the challenges that come with being so very young and vulnerable. But we are encouraged by her progress. Brightheart is drinking her milk well and gaining weight steadily, and we are very happy to report she now weighs 385 grams.

She has a long road ahead, but she is in the best possible hands. We will keep you posted on her progress!

Trevi

One year old Trevi was found alone on the ground in Alstonville last month in a critical condition. He was hypothermic and not moving when a concerned member of the public found him and rushed him straight to Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital. The vet team worked quickly to stabilise him, providing warmth and intravenous fluids before transferring him to the Northern Rivers Koala Hospital.

Once at the hospital, the extent of Trevi’s injuries became clear. He had sustained significant wounds consistent with a dog attack, including full thickness punctures from his mouth through to the skin beneath his jaw, as well as further injuries to his neck and chest. He was also anaemic and had blood in his abdomen. His wounds were thoroughly flushed under general anaesthetic to help prevent infection, and x-rays were taken to assess any internal damage.

Trevi is now in homecare with Liz, receiving intravenous fluids, pain relief and antibiotics. He has a long road ahead and his prognosis remains guarded, but he is receiving the very best care possible. We are keeping everything crossed for this little one.

Koalas in our Care Centre

Rosie

We have a wonderful update to share on Rosie! Regular readers will remember that eight year old Rosie has been on quite the journey since she was admitted back in October, battling cryptococcosis, one of the most challenging conditions we treat at the hospital.

We are thrilled to report that Rosie continues to go from strength to strength. Her bloods are due to be rechecked in two weeks, and if that result comes back negative, she will finally be cleared for soft release back home in Inverell.

After so many months in care, we cannot wait for that day to come. Watch this space, Rosie!

Otter

Four year old Otter from Larnook has had a bit of a setback since we last updated you on his progress. While we were delighted when he returned a negative chlamydia result earlier in his rehabilitation, Otter has since been diagnosed with a fungal infection that has required ongoing treatment.

The good news is that things are moving in the right direction. His infection is gradually improving and our veterinary team continue to monitor him closely. We are still very much hoping to get this little one home, and we will keep you updated on how he gets on over the coming weeks.

Peppermint

Two year old Peppermint has come a long way since she arrived in April in a very poor state, severely dehydrated and underweight, with cystitis, conjunctivitis and underlying kidney disease adding to the complexity of her recovery.

We are pleased to share that Peppermint has now completed her course of treatment and we are currently awaiting her chlamydia results. However, she is still showing some clinical signs of cystitis and it is likely she will need further treatment before she is ready to head home.

Peppermint has already shown us how resilient she is, and we are cautiously hopeful for her. We will have more news on her progress next month!

Haze

Six year old Haze was admitted in early May after being spotted in a tree showing signs of conjunctivitis and cystitis. We are pleased to report that he has now completed his course of antibiotics and has been retested for chlamydia. We are expecting his results back this week and will have more news to share very soon. Fingers crossed for good news, Haze!

Laurel

Five year old Laurel came into care in early May with cystitis and severe conjunctivitis, and like Haze has now completed his course of antibiotics. He is due to be retested next week, so we should have a fuller picture of his progress to share in our next update. We are keeping everything crossed for this gorgeous boy!

Bunyip

Five year old Bunyip was admitted in May after being observed limping on his left hind limb. He was brought in for assessment and has since completed a course of anti-inflammatories. Next week our veterinary team will reassess his injuries under general anaesthetic and repeat his x-rays to get a clearer picture of what is going on.

We will have a much fuller update on Bunyip next month once we know more. Watch this space!

Donner

Nine year old Donner was admitted in May with severe conjunctivitis in his right eye and has since commenced a course of antibiotics and eye medication. Our veterinary and care teams are monitoring him closely as he begins his treatment journey, and we are hopeful he will respond well over the coming weeks.

Yowie

Six year old Yowie was found on the ground by a concerned member of the public last month and brought into care. On admission, Yowie was showing clear signs of chlamydia, including crusty eyes and a wet, dirty rump, and was confirmed to have both conjunctivitis and cystitis. He has now begun a course of antibiotics and eye medications and our team are keeping a close eye on his progress.

Ajel

Six year old Ajel was also admitted last month with severe cystitis and was quite dehydrated on arrival. Our veterinary team worked to rehydrate and stabilise her before commencing antibiotic treatment. Ajel is now continuing her recovery and we are hopeful she will respond well over the coming weeks.

Cam

Seven year old Cam was spotted in a tree recently showing obvious signs of conjunctivitis, and our rescue team safely brought him in that night for assessment at the Northern Rivers Koala Hospital. On examination, Cam was found to have severe conjunctivitis in both eyes, with his vision currently impaired due to the severity of the infection. He is also experiencing nasal discharge and upper respiratory congestion.

Given these symptoms, our veterinary team have sent off blood samples to check for cryptococcus, as the combination of eye and respiratory signs can be associated with this disease. In the meantime, Cam has begun antibiotics and eye medications to treat his chlamydia, and is receiving daily nebulisation to help ease his congestion.

We are keeping a very close eye on Cam while we await his results, and will have more news to share soon.

Looking at the koalas in our care this month, the scale of the challenge facing our local koala population is clear. Chlamydia remains the single biggest threat we see through our doors, affecting koala after koala across the Northern Rivers. Dog attacks and car strikes are both entirely preventable tragedies that remind us how much work there is still to do in our community.

Every single koala in this update is here because of the dedication of our volunteers, our veterinary team, and the generous supporters who make this work possible. Treatment, medication, around the clock care, x-rays, blood tests, nebulisation, intravenous fluids. The resources required to give each koala the best possible chance are enormous, and demand is only growing.

With the end of the financial year upon us, we are asking you to consider making a tax deductible donation before 30 June to support the hospital expansion and help us be ready for the months ahead. A bigger, better equipped hospital means we can help more koalas like Peppermint, Brightheart, Cam and Rosie when they need us most.

Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you for being part of this community and for caring about our koalas as much as we do.