Welcome to April at Koala Kindy where we are down to just six joeys! The departures to plantations continue following our busiest season for our youngest rescues and the squad are all doing great. Hip Hop, Maleny and Johnny are off to greener pastures whilst Brown Sugar is not quite ready yet, catch up with our little rascals below!

Hip Hop and Maleny

We are delighted to report that Hip Hop and Maleny have both passed the plantation test with flying colours and were moved to a soft release site at Cawongla. Volunteers have opened the gate to freedom and both koalas have been seen moving around the property but still close to the original soft release site. Both koalas are also negotiating the big trees and appear to be settling in well! Another two joeys safely released to live the wild life!

Johnny

Johnny has also passed his plantation test and has been released in Roseberry Creek. It was clear from early on, that Johnny felt right at home in his new location as he showed no interest in the supplement leaf provided, preferring to stay high in the trees. Once the soft release enclosure was opened a week later, Johnny continued to hang about for another few days before going off to explore his surrounds. We wish him all the best in his beautiful new home.

Brown Sugar

Whilst being monitored in soft release, Brown Sugar raised concerns with loss of body condition and weight and so she is back at Friends of the Koala recovering and gaining strength in the protective environment that is Koala Kindy. Once she has returned to peak fitness, we will try her out in a different location to see if she is ready for the wild life. Read more about the vital stage of soft release here.

Cygnet and Ayla

Both Cygnet and Ayla have had recent examinations where no issues were found. They have been chipped and tagged and are almost ready to test their strength and independence off in plantation. We will extend their visit for another few weeks to monitor their growth, make sure weight gain is steady and because some of the joeys have slight candida infections at the minute.

Emerson

Emerson is cruising along, putting on weight and looking super cute. His fungal spots are not active at the moment, and it looks like the hair is growing back to cover the bald patch on his back – just in time for Winter!

Droplet

Droplet appears to be doing well but his weight gain has stalled and so our IFAW-supported vets and koala carers are keeping a close eye on him. We take faecal samples to make sure that he isn’t developing a thrush infection – early diagnosis and treatment is important as it gives the candida less chance to multiply.

Kelso

Both Kelso and Droplet were due to head off to plantation last week but we have held them back due to some mild weight loss and candida infection in some of the joeys. Luckily, candida is a common infection that is usually easy to treat. Kelso had a course of Nilstat and has put weight back on again this week.

Hobi

The very handsome miracle boy Hobi is cruising along and putting on approximately 100g each week. He recently had a full check up under general anaesthetic and all tests came back negative which is wonderful. Sometimes by the time a koala looks ill on the outside they are already quite compromised on the inside – early intervention is always best.

Candida in koalas

Candida is a common infection in koalas and is usually easy to treat – often with Nilstat. Candida/thrush is a fungi found almost everywhere and in healthy humans and animals the body’s natural bacteria and immune defenses work to keep it under control. However, if the body’s natural bacteria is reduced or if the body’s immune system is weakened – which could happen due to illness, stress or nutrition then the candida can multiply and signs of the infection become evident – such as a rash or diarrhea.