Koalas Injured In Oz Bushfires Receive Treatment

A number of badly burned koalas are being given specialist treatment after bushfires this week destroyed their habitat in South Australia.

They include a young female who underwent a two-hour operation to treat burns to her hands and feet.

Experts at the Australian Marine Wildlife Research and Rescue Organisation (AMWRRO) in Adelaide said the koala had recently given birth.

It is thought her baby, or joey, died in the fierce flames. The mother is now considered to be stable but remains in intensive care.

The fires destroyed a number of homes on the lower Eyre Peninsular, west of Adelaide, and damaged hundreds of hectares of countryside.

Some 150 firefighters battled the blaze which had been made worse by dry, windy conditions.

There are fears recent rainfall followed by a dry period means vegetation has grown to dangerous levels as Australia's bushfire season gets under way.

Another rescued koala, nicknamed Narla by staff, had burnt feet, hands, ears and nose and also remains in intensive care in a stable condition.

The hospital specialises in rescuing marine wildlife but also offers 24 hour assistance to Australian native animals needing emergency care.

Treatment for the koalas involves keeping them hydrated, soaking their feet in a sterile solution to prevent infection and dressing and wrapping claws individually.

Hospital president Aaron Machado told news website Adelaidenow : "Every six hours they need medication, they need a lot of supplements, they're dehydrated, they lose a lot of fluid out of the burns and a lot of heat."

"We need to keep them climate controlled and we need to keep them comfortable with medication."

If they recover, the koalas are expected to remain in care for at least two to three months, after which experts will decide whether to release them locally or back on the Eyre Peninsula.