That makes me incredibly sad and anxious but we have to follow the rules and we must try to hinder this bad disease.
Nice souvenirs and memories from my past travels are coming to my mind a lot lately and I have recently started thinking about the Koala Hospital I had visited back in Queensland and I am wondering how they are doing with this situation and all the fires that, sadly, killed so many koalas back some months ago…
I decided to help them out even if I cannot physically go there now to help them with the animals so I ‘adopted’ a koala online and I do hope to pay him a visit soon when things will get better.
I had decided to volunteer at the Koala Hospital because, browsing the internet looking for how to help these cute animals, I came across the koala hospital.
The Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie (a town located 400 km north of Sydney) is a fully operative hospital with an ambulance reserved for koalas and it was founded in 1973 by the non-profit Koala Preservation Society Australia Incorporated, internationally known for its research and collaboration with various institutes for the protection of the flora and the fauna.
It is a unique structure of its kind which tries to save this endangered species native of Australia but beloved all around the world.
Due to continued Australian housing growth, many trees are being cut every day to make room for expanses of concrete. This condition is unfavorable to the reproduction of the species and consequently koalas are decreasing in a frightening way, also due to the increase in road accidents and attacks by domestic dogs.
Moreover, koalas often suffer from Chlamydia, an infection that in the long run makes them blind and therefore very vulnerable in nature.
It will sound strange to hear the word koala hospital but for what they do it is certainly the most appropriate term. In fact, here is where injured or sick koalas are generally treated and cared for by volunteers who, after the treatment period, release them in their habitat of origin.
Unfortunately, not all koalas are able to return to a normal and peaceful life perched on any eucalyptus branch so some remain in spacious cages where volunteers spoil them with every possible comfort.
A typical day for a volunteer starts at 8 and ends around 11.
The Group Leader decides whom to assign a certain number of koalas. They can be 2, 3, 4 depending on how many koalas the hospital is hosting at that moment.
Then we proceed to the administration of supplements or medicines by syringe and finally we prepare the eucalyptus leaves. Koalas receive two bunches of two different eucalyptus species every day.
Then you clean the cage and move on to the next koala.
I wish I could say there is a lot of free time to spend playing with them and hugging them but, unfortunately, it is not the case.
Koalas are not very playful, they are often sleepy because they must digest the eucalyptus which is a bit poisoning.
Furthermore, koalas’ claws are very long and sharp so they might hurt you hugging you although they are very peaceful animals.
Nonetheless, it is a fantastic experience to volunteer in this unique hospital and they are always looking for volunteers to help out with these fluffy ones!!
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