» Listings for November 2019

1. Lewis the Koala is put to sleep after the wildfires

   Posted on 8:50am Tuesday 26th Nov 2019

   There's more sad news from Australia. Lewis the koala, who was rescued by a very brave lady and taken to Port Macquerie Koala Hopsital, was sadly put to sleep.  When there was hope for Lewis.... Sadly he had to be put to sleep  From The National He'd been put under general anaesthetic to assess his burns and change his bandages and unfortunately, the burns were getting worse - as can happen - so the decision was made to put Ellenborough Lewis to sleep. Rest in peace, Lewis, and all the other koalas who have perished in the wildfires. Thinking of everyone at the koala hospital who worked so hard to help Lewis and are working to help koalas who have suffered in the bushfires.  And of the lady who rescued Lewis. Please make a donation if you can to the hospital - why not do it in memory of Lewis? You can donate to their GoFundMe page here or directly to the hospital here

    

2. URGENT Appeal for Koalas and the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital GoFundMe Appeal

   Posted on 10:00pm Sunday 24th Nov 2019

   I have just read the most terrible news.  Koala populations and their habitat have decreased to such an extent that they are now “functionally extinct”. Forbes.com reports that Chairman of the Australian Koala Foundation estimates that over 1,000 koalas have been killed from the fires.  80% of their habitat has been destroyed, thanksk to bush fires, prolonged drought and deforestation. Functionally extinct occurs where a population has become so limited that their population is  no longer viable. The small number of the surviving animals means that they are unlikely to survive long term.  Koalas eat up to 2 pounds of  eucalyptus leaves a day. And bushfires and deforestation has destroyed this main food source.  The recovery of such plants after fires will take months – so there will be no food for the koalas.  HELP KOALAS The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has a Go Fund Me page.  The hope was is that they would reach $25,000.  So far, they have raised $1.35 million from 35,000 donors.  One of the things they want to do is to install drinking stations for koalas in areas devastated by the fires.  And they want to have a Koala Ark so that burned koalas can live in a healthy habitat as they recover. The hospital are searching for koalas, along with the National Parks and Wildlife Service crew leaders.  So far 31 koalas have been brought to the hospital from various fire locations.  Koalas arriving at the hospital are rehydrated and examined for burns.  Burns are treated with cream, and then bandaged.  Dressings are changed every three days.  The hospital wanted to raise money to buy and distribute automatic drinking stations in the burnt areas to help koalas and wildlife.  Now, more will be built, and shared with other wildlife organisations in areas affected by fire.   Two will go to the Northern Rivers fire area next week. The hospital is buying a water carrying vehicle with fire fighting capabilities to replenish the drinking stations with water as they need it. Thanks to the incredible amount of money raised, the hospital is going to establish a wild koala breeding programme. The bushfires in and around the Port Macquarie area killed about 350 koalas.  75% of the fireground footprint was prime koala habitat. Be a part of this rescue mission - please donate As well as donating to help the koalas, we can all do what we can do consider how our life style is impacting on the planet.   The human race has caused enough destruction of our natural world.  It’s time to do the right thing and put this right. PLEASE DONATE NOW These koalas need our help All images on this blog copyright to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.   PS There's another GoFundMe appeal for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation who are also needing funds to help care for koalas affected by wildfires.  Visit their GoFundMe page

3. Koalas need our help as bushfires rage in Australia

   Posted on 4:00pm Friday 1st Nov 2019

   Wildfires often hit the headlines now, but the media are slow to consider the impact they have on wildlife.  Sometimes they say “nobody died” and I really wonder if they are aware of the millions of animals who have been injured or, worst, died in the fires. And at the moment wildfires are raging, in California and New South Wales. In New South Wales, they are burning across Port Macquarie.  It’s estimated that between 20,000 to 48,000 koalas live both here and in Queensland.  They are heading for extinction here as early as 2050. It’s feared that a large number of koalas may have died in the flames.  Others will be homeless as their trees have burnt down; more will be suffering from smoke inhalation or burns. WWF Australia urgently needs all our support to help restore koala habitat and to care for injured wildlife.   Every single koala matters. Please help koalas today and help WWF Australia plant the first 10,000 trees  WWF have launched a plan to save koalas and to help protect and restore the trees they call home. The WWF Plan is called Two Billion Trees, and it’s a commitment to secure two billion trees over the next decade.  These will provide vulnerable wildlife with safe homes by: • Stopping excessive tree-clearing • Protecting existing forest and woodland • Restoring and planting new trees Whatever the outcome for koala numbers, their habitats will need to be restored, both for koalas and other wildlife.  The thing about koalas is that they are dependent on trees.  They need them for their food, their shelter and their safety.   Trees make a difference to koalas.  Without trees, they have nowhere to call home. So the area where the effort is to be concentrated is a koala triangle, between south west Sydney, Gennedah and Noosa.   It’s the heartland of Australia’s healthiest wild koala populations, but it’s threatened, not just by bushfires but by development. Please help plant the first 10,000 urgently needed trees in critical koala habitat, to save our precious koalas before they’re gone forever. All photos are copyright to WWF