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Koala Rides Bus to Safety in Brisbane
20 Dec
Summary
- A bus driver rescued a koala from traffic and brought it aboard his bus.
- The koala, named Peri, was checked by a vet and found to be healthy.
- Koalas were declared endangered in eastern Australia in 2022.
An Australian bus driver recently became a rescuer when he spotted a koala navigating a busy street in Brisbane. Concerned for the marsupial's safety, the driver used his jacket to gently capture the koala, named Peri, and brought it aboard his bus.
Peri, the koala, seemed to settle in during the unusual journey, clinging to a handrail. Following the ride, Peri was taken to a local wildlife hospital for a veterinary assessment. Fortunately, within 24 hours, veterinarians confirmed Peri was healthy and cleared the koala for release into the Seven Hills Bushland Reserve on Sunday.
This incident underscores the vulnerability of koalas, especially after the devastating bushfires of 2019 and 2020 impacted their eucalyptus forest habitats. In 2022, koalas were officially classified as endangered across much of eastern Australia, prompting conservation efforts like the WWF's Koalas Forever initiative aiming to double their population by 2050.
