Koalas are hugely popular on the internet, but they are dying out in large areas of Queensland and New South Wales, and in decline almost everywhere else. Wild Koala Day, May 3 was started to address this.

The co-owner of Echidna Walkabout and President of Koala Clancy Foundation, Janine Duffy, first proposed the idea of a national Wild Koala Day in 2016.  Since then it’s become a huge international event and received huge media coverage.

Thousands of koala trees have been planted as a result, in Queensland, NSW & Victoria. Community educational events have been held, resulting in many phone calls to politicians.

Echidna Walkabout and our linked Not-For-Profit Koala Clancy Foundation believe that people need to connect koalas with their habitat in order to protect them. Promoting them as living soft toys, in captivity, being cuddled and petted by humans, just isn’t helping koala conservation.

So on Wild Koala Day May 3 we call on everyone to take action to protect our fluffy icon:
1. Plant a tree. Koalas need new habitat to replace what’s been lost and help them deal with the rising temperatures, drought and bushfires brought on by climate change.
2. Protect a forest. Existing forest is critical, and native forest logging must stop if koalas are to have a chance. You can protect a forest by only buying recycled paper, refusing to buy house built on land recently-cleared, and by protesting against forest clearing.
3. Petition a politician. Politicians make laws, and their laws can make or break our wildlife. They believe that wildlife doesn’t matter to Australians – and the only way we can change that is by emailing, calling and writing to them.

Also post a wild koala photo on May 3 and tag #wildkoaladay. Please don’t post a photo of a koala in a zoo, wildlife park or captive situation – those get enough attention already!

In 2019 we hosted the following Wild Koala Day events:

Sunday April 28: Koala Clancy’s birthday Conservation Day. You Yangs

In 2018 we hosted the following Wild Koala Day events:

Sunday May 6: Koala Clancy’s birthday Conservation Day. You Yangs.

In 2017 we hosted the following Wild Koala Day events:

Saturday April 29 to Sunday May 7: Avalon Airport. Free Wild Koala Photo Exhibition; Kids Activities; Meet the Experts.
Wednesday May 3: You Yangs. 1.5 hour Koala Mini Tours. Tickets: https://koala-mini-tour.eventbrite.com.au
Saturday May 6: You Yangs. 1.5 hour Koala Mini Tours. Tickets: https://koala-mini-tour.eventbrite.com.au
Sunday May 7: You Yangs. Full day Koala Clancy’s Birthday Conservation Day.

For more information:
Please Visit: http://www.wildkoaladay.com.au/
or contact Janine Duffy president@koalaclancyfoundation.org.au

wild koala in a gum tree for Wild Koala Day