About koala rehabilitation
Koala rehabilitation begins with the careful capture of a sick, injured, or orphaned koala. Koala rescue is mostly carried out by trained and licensed volunteers with extensive experience and knowledge in the field.
Once rescued, koalas will be transported to a nearby wildlife hospital, clinic or rehabilitation centre (such as the Moggill Koala Rehabilitation Centre ). A veterinarian will check for disease and injury, and assess whether the koalas can be treated and able to be returned to the wild.
The rescue, rehabilitation and release of sick, injured and orphaned koalas back into the wild is a critical element of the koala conservation program in Queensland. Vulnerable to dog attacks, car strikes, and disease—koalas depend on the networks of volunteer rehabilitators who respond to community reports of koalas in trouble.
Successful koala conservation relies on a collaborative approach across all sectors, and for communities to play a role in protecting local koalas. If you see a sick, injured, orphaned or dead koala , it’s important to report it by calling the koala ambulance on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625).
SEQ Wildlife Hospital Network
The Queensland Government provides funding support to the SEQ (South East Queensland) Wildlife Hospital Network that gives vital assistance to koalas in the region. The SEQ Wildlife Hospital Network consists of a number of wildlife facilities including:
- Moggill Koala Rehabilitation Centre
- RSPCA Wildlife Hospital
- Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital
- Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.
The network provides assessment, treatment, and care to koalas and other native animals in SEQ. Many koalas are rescued and transported to these hospitals in a coordinated response, by a network of dedicated volunteers. Through their efforts, thousands of koalas have been successfully rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the wild.
If you’re interested in volunteering to help rescue and rehabilitate koalas, find out more information about how to become a koala rehabilitator .