I thought Summer looked pretty good a couple of days back, but he decided he could look even better today. Thank you so much for the many awesome comments and questions on my photos here at my happy place :)
@robz at the moment they are very healthy. you will notice when you see Krissy he has an ear tag as he contracted chlamydia late last year just as he was turning a year old and I caught him and we treated him. sadly his old mum didn't make it - she has left a big hole as matriarch of the colony.
You will notice Bullet has a big wedge out of his ear as he ripped his ear tag out - he is healthy but was bitten by a dog earlier last year and again I caught him and he very nearly didn't make it due to the stress of being in the Currumbin wildlife hospital for 2 months.
so yes, when I see them healthy, I am really celebrating as I sadly know too well how much disease we are battling due to the loss of their habitat.
Would you mind if I asked where your property is? I was just interested after reading your mention of the Currumbin wildlife hospital. We spend half of our time on the Gold Coast on a 7 acre Land for Wildlife property which borders the Nerang State Forest (now officially and ridiculously labelled a N.P.) We've been there 25 years and the decline in wildlife and native vegetation has been terrible and very sad to observe.
@robz I don't mind at all - I'm at a place called Tuckurimba which is about 15 mins south of Lismore in NSW. About 1.5 hours drive up to the GC. We have a koala care centre to rescue and rehab koalas, but we are not a hospital so have to use Currumbin. I didn't realise you have a Land for Wildlife property - that is so exciting! The GC is in a really bad way so far as environmental devastation, it must be breaking your heart.
@koalagardens I do know where you are - Google showed it clearly and we've driven through the general area. Am I right in thinking that your forested areas are dispersed throughout agricultural and pastoral blocks? That's what has happened on the Coast - but it's massive residential developments instead - with continual fragmentation and the introduction on numerous cats and dogs. It is depressing when we stop and think back to what it was like 25 years ago....
he does look so healthy - we got chatting about koalas in Guides last night and I said I was following someone who put up a shot of a koala every day and they went gooey eyed (and we sang Cuddly Koalas) Also someone I know lives with her family in a property in the mountains above Sydney, with koalas locally. She posted yesterday they were wondering what to do with the yard and land, so I linked to your website as a heavy hint
@robz you have it exactly right - land clearing for agriculture and pasture is our big environmental issue here...oh and roads. You will have heard of the shocking destruction to the koala colonies with the Ballina bypass. If you are driving through this way we could organise something fun?
@koalagardens That would be great - thank you for the kind offer. We'll keep it in mind and get back to you next time we're heading your way.We don't travel as much as we used to - there's a big incentive to stay near the GC - in the form of a 1 year old only grandchild... :)
@koalagardens That sounds wonderful and if Vinny is just a little older maybe he could come if that wouldn't be a nuisance. You would be an easy drive away from the Clarence Gorge camping area?
@robz I'm closer to the GC than there - about 1.5 hours to Tweed, about 3 hours to the Gorge camping :)
But if you were going to go camping there, you could come by here on the way.
I love educating children, but if they are too small it's too much for them - walking a long way on tracks on a hill and koalas often way up high. If you have Vinny with you it might be more of a mini tour, hoping there would be koalas close by :)
@koalagardens Ok - that all makes sense - thanks for the info- I'll keep it in mind and see what we can do down the track. Thanks so much for the suggestion. Cheers Rob
You will notice Bullet has a big wedge out of his ear as he ripped his ear tag out - he is healthy but was bitten by a dog earlier last year and again I caught him and he very nearly didn't make it due to the stress of being in the Currumbin wildlife hospital for 2 months.
so yes, when I see them healthy, I am really celebrating as I sadly know too well how much disease we are battling due to the loss of their habitat.
But if you were going to go camping there, you could come by here on the way.
I love educating children, but if they are too small it's too much for them - walking a long way on tracks on a hill and koalas often way up high. If you have Vinny with you it might be more of a mini tour, hoping there would be koalas close by :)