Koala Research

Meet ... Bear

Update 24 January 2007 Bear is looking really well! He still has pale patches on the underside of his feet where he was burned, but that is the only sign of what he went through one year ago. There have been lots of beautiful females visiting his area too! Woo-hoo!

Update November 2006: We are seeing this very special Koala regularly and he is doing well. It is six months since his release and he has settled back into his old home range. Last week we saw him checking out the girls ... and it is that time of year of course.

Bushfire update Tuesday 14 March 2006: This was a very special day for us and Bear. We released our beautiful koala male back to the wild in his green trees in his own home range! After six weeks of good food, bandages, vet visits and koala kisses (nose to nose). He is fit has gained some weight and is ready to party. The poor koala girls in his area will be very surprised.

We knew he was ready to go home - he was getting more wild every day, and not co-operating with his nurse, Marilyn! She had to tempt him down, from his high perch in the aviary, by using his favourite thing - food!! Then out to his home we went. The minute his cage was opened he was out, and went straight up the nearest tree, then paused above our heads to consider us one last time. He spent most of the morning in that tree, but at lunchtime he decided to try another - so down he came, looked at Janine deciding she was to be trusted and then jumped onto the ground and bounded, ran and walked 100 metres to another tree - while Janine video-ed the whole thing!

Late in the afternoon we left him sleeping - happily surrounded by green leaves in a tree of his choosing! He is now travelling around his large home range checking it out we think - and possibly reviewing the bushfire damage and other koalas in the area.

In the Bushfire, Bear chose a Cherry Ballart tree to shelter in and his tree was partly burnt but not badly. Unfortunately though he had to move, and in moving he burnt his feet and hands - his feet sustained 2nd degree burns and he could hardly walk. We think he adapted quite well to being in care for the six weeks, probably because he was lucky enough to have an excellent carer - Marilyn. He seemed to be calm having his special antibiotics, special formula and dressings. His burnt paws were bandaged for about 4 weeks needing daily dressing so he was in a small enclosure as he could not climb. As his injuries improved his bandages were gradually removed and he was delighted to move to a larger enclosure. He continued to get his injuries looked after for the next 2 weeks while he regained his strength and some pigment back on his paws. His final vet check showed that he was fine and had gained a little extra weight from plenty of good food.

Bushfire update 12 February 2006: Bear was rescued on 28th Jan 06. He visited the vet, Anne, that night and had his terrible burns treated - his back feet were the worst, with partial thickness burns (2nd degree) all over the pads. He is receiving regular and loving treatment from Marilyn at Beremboke Wildlife Shelter and is looking fantastic. He is quite in love with her, and I'm sure will look forward to seeing her again, in the wild, after he has been released back to his own home range! It will be some weeks away though...

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We know - what sort of a name for a koala is "Bear"? After all we do to convince people that koalas are not bears, we go and give a koala this name! But he looks like a bear! He has a snout!

Bear has become one of our stars this year. He lives between Uncle Tom and Daisy, and is often hanging out just near the road - leaning forward to peer at us in fascination!

Interestingly, we think Bear has been visiting this area for years as a summer-tourist, and only in 2003 did he decide to settle down. Previously we think we have named him “Roger”, “Rusty”, and possibly “Arrow” ! In the winter of 2005 Bear travelled all around his area (and even outside of his normal home range). We think he was checking things out - planning a takeover from our darling old man Blaze!

But he should be careful - koalas are known to protect their elderly, so the resident girls (Wilma, Paty, Poppy, Daisy) may gang up on Bear to discourage him from fighting with Blaze, their beloved. And as we all know - you should never underestimate the girls when they get their knickers in a twist!

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