Tragedy To Triumph: Rehabilitated Orphaned Koala Seen With Her Newborn Joey In The Wild

Photo by: Kim Lewis / © Friends of the Koala

After being rescued as a joey in Australia, an orphaned koala named Kookie spent months in rehabilitation and is now the proud mother of her adorable newborn joey.

This success story follows the months of care provided by IFAW-supported vets at Friends of the Koala’s Northern Rivers Koala Hospital in New South Wales, who took in Kookie after her mother was fatally hit by a car in September 2022.

Despite being sheltered in her mother’s pouch, Kookie experienced internal bleeding, but with the expert care of the vet team and volunteers, she recovered and was released into the wild in March 2023.

“Every koala that’s released back into the wild gives us hope for the future of the species,” said IFAW’s Wildlife Campaign Manager, Josey Sharrad. “To see Kookie carrying a joey, less than two years after losing her own mum, is incredibly exciting given koalas in NSW are endangered and at-risk of being extinct by 2050.”

The koala population decline in NSW is attributed to factors such as habitat destruction, climate change, bushfires, disease, and predation by domestic animals. Significant conservation efforts are being undertaken to protect and restore koala habitats and to support their recovery in the region.

Friends of the Koala has seen a significant increase in the number of  koalas being injured and killed as a result of car strikes. As humans continue to encroach on koala habitat, koalas have nowhere to go, forcing them onto roads where they are at-risk of collisions with cars.

“In the last year we have seen a 15% increase in the amount of koalas injured or killed as a result of car strikes. Between May 2023 and May 2024, we received reports of 71 koalas who were hit by vehicles, of which only 13 were able to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Unfortunately, 80% of koalas hit by vehicles last year did not survive the impact,” said Veterinary Clinical and Research Director, Dr. Jodie Wakeman.

Drivers are being reminded to slow down and stay vigilant in koala habitats as school holidays and koala breeding season overlap in many parts of Australia in the coming weeks.

People are also encouraged to download the IFAW Wildlife Rescue App, which puts people directly in touch with the nearest wildlife rescue group to report an injured animal. The user will then be guided to the best way to help support the injured animal. The app aims to reduce stress and confusion by giving users all the information they need at their fingertips – empowering them to save lives.