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The severe wildfires in the southeast of the continent were devastating to Australian koalas, because the animals do not flee the fire but remain in their trees. The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) estimates that around 1,000 koalas were victims of the flames.
Many were injured in veterinary clinics, including Anwen (4), the first woman to go to Port Macquarie Koala Hospital after a fire. According to the clinic, Wenen’s arms were badly burned. After six months, she and 25 of her companions have recovered and have been brought back to nature.
How well Anwen has recovered is surprising, the Koala Hospital said. She is now active and cheeky on the go.
“Even putting something on your own tree makes us very happy”
“It is a moving day for us. Leaving so many animals back to their former habitat, some even in their own tree, makes us very happy,” said spokeswoman Sue Ashton. Due to the rain, their areas recovered much earlier than expected, according to the statement.
A total of 49 animals were treated during the fire at the Koala Clinic on the east coast of the continent. In the worst-affected state of New South Wales, the population is estimated to have decreased by 80 to 85 percent, according to the environmental organization WWF.
Around 12.5 million hectares of land were destroyed in the devastating forest fires in Australia between September and March, corresponding to approximately one third of the area in Germany.
