Stop, look left and look right before crossing. This young lady appeared to be considering road safety but alas, the traffic to her was mostly just confusing.
We can’t expect wildlife to know how to stay safe on roads but there’s a lot we can do as drivers to help both them and ourselves stay safe this holiday weekend.
Be alert for wildlife near roadsides and slow down in anticipation of them crossing.
Be alert and slow down in areas where you know wildlife regularly cross.
Call AKR or your local animal rescue service if a wild animal gets hit.
Deceased mammals like koalas, kangaroos, possums and wombats need checking for live pouch young. Please call for help and advice.
Let’s make an effort to keep wildlife and ourselves safer this long weekend.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞 0413 185 771
28/03/2024
Are you off on a road trip this long weekend? Please keep an eye out for wildlife crossing roads.
If you hit or come across wildlife hit by car please call for help. Unsure how to check a pouch? Please call AKR, or your nearest wildlife rescue service for advice.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞 0413 185 771
04/03/2024
KI KOALAS INJURED, ORPHANED, DISPLACED AND KILLED BY LOGGING
Kangaroo Island wildlife experts report images of dead and injured koalas “so shocking and intolerable” and are calling on authorities to cease logging.
“We feel the department abandoned us when it comes to managing the fallout around animal welfare in the plantations”.
Exclusive: Ex-employees of Australian Agribusiness Group allege dozens of injuries occurred as blue gums cleared for agricultural use, claims which the company rejects
04/03/2024
KANGAROO ISLAND KOALA CARNAGE
Concerns raised years ago about the fate of Kangaroo Island koalas living in blue gum plantations due to be cleared were ignored by authorities. The short and long-term animal welfare consequences were inevitable and extend well beyond harvesting operations. The responsibility for the koalas that have suffered and the fate of the survivors now left without habitat extends beyond the actions of the logging contractor.
11/02/2024
Is your pool wildlife safe?
Koalas and other wildlife face so many threats but there are things you can do to prevent some of them.
Some of the most distressing rescues to attend are swimming pool drownings. They are often the result of wildlife attempting to drink from swimming pools, falling in and being unable to climb out.
Like us, koalas can swim quite well but only for so long… The situation is worse when they walk on pool covers that sag and they become trapped like this poor koala at Magill.
What can you do?
🐨 Upgrade your pool cover.
There are many pool covers available now that can withstand children (and animals) walking on them without sagging.
🐨 Provide ropes or ladders for escape.
We can’t teach wildlife to find the steps, so instead place an egress net/mat or ladder at the deep end, or tie thick cargo rope to the pool fence with the other end in the water to give wildlife a fighting chance of climbing out.
🐨 Provide alternative water sources.
Keeping water bowls around your yard, especially on warm days, will hopefully satisfy thirsty animals so they don’t need to use your pool.
🐨 Check your pool.
Regularly check your pool, especially if you have a cover and on warm days. You can even get sensors now to alert if children or animals are in the pool without your knowledge.
🐨 Spread awareness.
If you know someone with a pool, please share this post. To find a drowned koala is incredibly upsetting for the pool owner too*
🐨 Call the AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline on 0413 185 771 for help and advice if you find a koala in or close to your swimming pool.
*Note. Hateful comments directed at the pool owner will be deleted. In this case, and on every other occasion we’ve been called about wildlife drowning, the caller has been devastated. In every case and now that they know, they have taken our advice and made their pool safer. Sharing this post to create awareness will do far more to prevent future drownings than vilifying pool owners who didn’t realise the risk.
10/11/2023
It was hot for koalas and other wildlife today. Thank you to all who put water bowls out and sprinklers on to help keep resident and visiting wildlife cool.
If concerned about wildlife impacted by heat call the AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline on 0413 185 771.
08/11/2023
The AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline has been down all day due to a nationwide Optus outage.
We expect we’ve missed many calls today, given how busy our team has been in recent months and how warm it is this week.
Our team takes great pride in the fact that we offer the community a genuine 24/7 phone service. We apologise if we were unable to respond to your calls for help today. Our Optus services are gradually being restored and our 24/7 Emergency Hotline is back up and running.
22/09/2023
Are you loving our wildlife to death?
If you insist on providing your feathered visitors an occasional treat please read.
A magpie with no beak serves as a terrible reminder that in our enthusiasm we can feed our beloved wild birds too much, too often, and the wrong foods
16/09/2023
Spring has Sprung 💐🌻🌺
Celebrating all the beautiful native blooms this month with some May Gibbs original artwork!
What native flower is your favorite to see in the springtime?
08/09/2023
What should you do if you find a small marsupial joey on the ground after wild weather like we’re experiencing in SA?
1. Pick it up if possible - please do not leave it there. Small joeys like this possum are vulnerable and harmless. You can use a small towel, beanie or t-shirt if preferred to wrap it up but generally they’re fine just to pick up without.
2. Start warming it up. The quickest way initially is down your jumper against your body - it’ll just want to snuggle in for safety and warmth until you can get it to further warmth and safety.
3. Have a look around the area. Mum may be sick or injured nearby on the ground in need of help too. Ringtail possums, as opposed to Brushtails often have more than one joey so there could be another on the ground nearby.
4. If not at your home, please get a good description of where you found it. Ringtail possum joeys can sometimes be reunited with a mother who returns looking for it. Taking photos and dropping a pin on a map is especially helpful.
5. If you haven’t already, please call a wildlife rescue or carer group for help. They can provide further advice on how to keep it warm and what to do next.
Your actions as the first responder can mean the difference to a joey surviving or not.
Thank you to all the wonderful South Australians keeping an eye out for wildlife needing help.
DEVELOPING: Authorities are warning that extreme cold weather including strong winds, thunderstorms and hail are set to hit regional areas of the state over the next week.
South Australians sleeping rough are being urged to reach out to support services.
A Code Blue response has been activated in the Upper Spencer Gulf, Lower Eyre, Copper Coast, Riverland, Clare Valley, Murraylands, Limestone Coast, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.
Severe weather across South Australia is expected to increase calls for help for injured and orphaned wildlife.
The AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline has been busy enough this Spring with calls to help orphaned joeys as well as sick, injured and displaced wildlife.
Damaging winds have already hit the Adelaide Metropolitan area and Mount Lofty Ranges with peak gusts of 90 to 100km/hr expected in addition to heavy rain in some parts.
Please be on the lookout for injured and displaced wildlife when safe to do so, particularly where trees and limbs have fallen.
It’s been a terrible week on Adelaide’s roads for wildlife. The AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline has received multiple calls to report koalas and kangaroos hit by car.
We are pleading with drivers to please call to report if you hit wildlife instead of leaving animals to suffer.
Thank you to the members of public who called AKR when they came across koalas and kangaroos hit by car.
The AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline is answered day and night by a team of volunteers. Please call immediately if you hit, or find wildlife hit by car so the animal can be attended to quickly.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞0413 185 771
To help save SA’s wildlife visit akr.org.au/donate
07/07/2023
⚠️Severe Weather Warning ⚠️
Forecast for Adelaide Metropolitan area,
Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty Ranges.
Wild weather impacts all wildlife, but particularly those animals that are compromised due to old age and/or illness. Healthy animals too are at risk due to falling from trees and losing their homes.
This old man was found soaking wet, hypothermic and sitting on the ground - his fur was in poor condition and no longer provided any protection from rain, and his body condition, also poor meant he had little to keep him warm.
Sadly he had serious dental and other health issues and couldn’t be saved. Fortunately someone found him and called for help, had they not he would have suffered further and perished.
Please check around your area for sick, injured and displaced wildlife. Call us any time day or night if you’re concerned for rescue assistance or advice.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞 0413 185 771
Help save wildlife by donating or joining our team - visit www.akr.org.au
While not mentioned, the saving of wildlife habitat is significant. Thank you to the many members of the community who fought to save these trees which are home to koalas and other wildlife.
148 trees saved! Some good news to start your Saturday.
Plans for a massive roundabout at the intersection of James Road and Old Belair Road in Belair have been shelved, saving 148 native trees and a "Bush for Life" site managed by Trees For Life (SA). An independent review into the project found that the construction of the roundabout was not justified. It turns out that other, less-destructive options could be considered.
Severe storms across South Australia have once again left wildlife needing help.
Please continue to check your area for wildlife that appear sick, injured, orphaned or displaced and call the AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline for advice and assistance.
Thank you to the many caring people who have already called, concerned for the welfare of koalas, kangaroos and possums they’ve found needing welfare checks or rescue.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞0413 185 771
To support our essential service please visit akr.org.au/donate
12/06/2023
Reduced visibility due to winter weather has led to increased calls for help to the AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline.
Heavy rain and fog make wildlife on and near roads even harder to see. More wildlife, particularly kangaroos are grazing green grass on roadsides and where water is available to drink due to run-off.
Please keep safe and be alert for wildlife on your travels. If you do hit, or come across an animal that’s been hit, remember we’re here to help any time.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞 Call 0413 185 771
To support our essential service visit akr.org.au/donate
It is with sadness that we say goodbye to a koala well-known to us, Helen of Hackney.
Helen has been rescued by us many times over the past 6 years, mostly due to misadventure. We’ve often relocated her back to Linear Park with a safety lecture from us and grumbling from her.
Helen was reported to us, found sitting on the ground in Linear Park at Walkerville. She was hunched in a ball, underweight and in pain when rescuers from several different organisations arrived having been called by different people.
Teamwork saw Helen swiftly transferred to a vet but sadly she needed to be euthanised. She had internal cysts that had ruptured and was unable to be saved.
Previously rescued koalas usually have an ear tag indicating who they are and who previously rescued them. It’s important to identify them and collaborate with other organisations to obtain past medical history and share critical research data.
Tagged koalas have a history with people who have previously rescued and cared for them. If a rescued koala is well-known, the sadness and grief is harder to bear. That koala could be a joey a carer handraised, a critical-care patient a vet went to great lengths to save, or as in Helen’s case, a much-loved and well-known local known for many years.
Teamwork and collaboration between AKR, Koala Rescue and Koala Rescue SA meant that Helen was quickly identified, transferred to a vet and those who knew her contacted and kept informed. Thank you to all involved for your compassion and professionalism on this sad occasion.
Helen managed to avoid so many of the hazards that impact urban koalas including road trauma and dog attack. She’s a reminder that our South Australian koalas are vulnerable to many threats including disease. Sadly we see far too many koalas with health issues like Helen.
Rest in peace Helen of Hackney. You will be remembered for your particularly pretty face, sense of adventure and sassy attitude. May your spirit forever climb high in your river territory.
To support our work saving SA koalas visit akr.org.au/donate
07/06/2023
A severe storm across parts of Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges has led to increased calls for help for displaced and injured wildlife.
Possums in particular find themselves in trouble when gale force winds, heavy rain and hail strike.
Please be on the lookout for wildlife tonight and in coming days, especially where trees and limbs are down.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞 Call 0413 185 771
To support our essential service visit akr.org.au/donate
It’s distressing to know that someone can hit our native wildlife and leave them to suffer. What’s heartening though is the efforts of others who often go to great lengths to help.
This young Ringtail possum was recently found in the middle of a waterlogged road near Strathalbyn. The lovely couple who rescued him had stopped in the town early hours of the morning to wait for the worst of a rainstorm to pass.
It was still raining and less than 7 degrees when they resumed their journey towards Adelaide. They found him alive but minimally responsive in a puddle on the road and called the AKR 24/7 Hotline for help.
He had no obvious external injuries but was absolutely soaking wet and freezing cold. They snuggled him up in a dry towel in their arms and into the warmth of their car and continued home.
With limited options nearby in the middle of the night, one of our new volunteer phone operators did a great job providing advice to help further warm him up and coordinated volunteer rescuers to meet them enroute to get him to a vet as fast as possible.
Every effort was made by vets to help him and he was promptly provided pain relief, oxygen and further warming. Sadly he needed to be humanely euthanised when it was determined he’d suffered head trauma, had neurological issues, fluid on his lungs and internal bleeding. He’d been, as we suspected, hit by car.
Thank you to all involved in the coordinated volunteer effort to help, during the middle of the night in terrible weather. You’re a great bunch of humans and it means a lot to know there are people who care. Although he didn’t make it, he wasn’t left to suffer a slow and agonising death on the road.
The next time you run into a volunteer wildlife rescuer perhaps shout them a hot coffee and tell them you appreciate what they go out at all hours to do - They receive no government funding or support and rarely get the thanks they deserve.
To get involved consider volunteering be it rescue, administrative or other support - visit akr.org.au/volunteer
To help support essential volunteer wildlife services visit akr.org.au/donate
To report injured wildlife in South Australia like this poor possum call the AKR 24/7 for help and advice
This magnificent big kangaroo was left to suffer on the roadside tonight. The impact with the vehicle was loud enough to alert nearby residents. They found him struggling to drag himself off the road between Normanville and Carrickalinga with a smashed leg and head trauma.
Thank you to locals who immediately called for help for the poor fella. He was promptly euthanised and is no longer suffering.
The AKR 24/7 Hotline has always received calls to report injured kangaroos but sadly, and for a while now it’s been a daily occurrence.
In too many cases kangaroos (and other wildlife) are hit and run incidents. By the time someone else calls for help, the roo has often been laying there for days or longer, and had pouch young that could’ve been saved.
Accidents happen but to hit and leave any animal suffering in pain is unnecessary, inexcusable and abhorrent.
Please, if you hit a roo (or other animal) take responsibility and act. Stop if safe to do so and check. If you cannot stop or are unsure what to do just call for help.
The AKR Hotline Crew are available 24/7 to help on 0413 185 771
It’s a shocker of a week for wildlife in SA. Thank you to the compassionate South Australians calling for advice about koalas, kangaroos and possums struggling in the heat.
Coming days will be worse with little reprieve from this heatwave overnight. Wildlife will be looking for water so please make it available around your homes and workplaces.
In some instances the healthier, fitter animals just need your support - bowls of fresh water, shade and the garden around them cooled down with a sprinkler.
Old, already unwell and injured animals need intervention, like this poor female koala who had been hit by car some time earlier. Had she been reported then, she may have survived but sadly, over the week she’d deteriorated too much and was suffering from the effects of severe malnutrition in addition to trauma from the vehicle impact.
If concerned about wildlife call the AKR 24/7 Hotline for advice on 0413 185 771
For many landholders and emergency service volunteers this time of year is hard. We carry memories of the Black Summer bushfires and upcoming hot weather makes us feel uneasy.
We remember and honour the dedication and commitment of all who volunteered, donated, sponsored and otherwise supported us and who continue to do so. Without you AKR could not have saved so many koalas and other wildlife. We pledge to honour your efforts by continuing to do so in 2023.
This Christmas the AKR team wishes you a safe and peaceful holiday period and continued healing.
We remember the koalas and other wildlife that we saved, from those who recovered and were released to those who we could only ease from suffering. The characters we had the privilege of knowing will forever have a place in our hearts and we continue to fight for a better future on their behalf.
19/12/2022
Feeling the heat today in Adelaide? Need a drink? Imagine being outdoors and wearing a fur coat…
Koalas and other wildlife struggle in the heat and need your help - please put fresh water out to help animals cope this week.
As with humans, the elderly and those who are unwell find it hardest when it’s hot. Weather like this often brings the most compromised animals out of the woodwork and in some cases they’ll approach us for help.
This poor boy was found hunched over on the ground at Tea Tree Gully. Hot, in poor body condition and miserable he was found to also be in renal failure which unfortunately koalas is not curable.
Please call the AKR 24/7 Hotline on 0413 185 771 for advice if you’re concerned about animals in the heat.
The sun lovers are out - lizards are on the move this time of year.
A very rewarding part of what we do is to help people learn more about wildlife. It’s fairly common for the AKR 24/7 Hotline to receive calls from people new to our country, who are not familiar with our wildlife and are often afraid. To someone whose never seen a lizard they could easily be mistaken for a tiny dinosaur!
Calls like one we had this morning are great. A concerned caller phoned after finding a lizard in the backyard and wanted it removed for fear it would harm his children. After confirming it was a lizard and not a snake, we had a chat about it and how it wouldn’t harm his family. By the end of the call the family was keen to learn more about their reptilian resident and have put a shallow dish of water out for it due to upcoming hot weather.
Please keep an eye out for lizards sunbaking on roads - they’re fairly slow and easy to avoid hitting.
Please put shallow dishes of water in your yard for wildlife - even lizards will make the most of it when the weather gets hot.
28/11/2022
Don’t try this at home…
It’s the time of year for reptiles to be out and about and unfortunately they often take up residence in our homes, sheds and gardens. This massive Eastern Brown Snake was recently captured in Myponga, South Australia. The species is the most common found in SA.
The Eastern Brown Snake is considered the second most venomous land snake in the world. In almost all cases snake bites occur due to untrained people attempting to catch, kill or otherwise handle them.
It’s understandable that we don’t want visitors like this one but please, call a trained and qualified professional who will catch and relocate - Brown Snakes and other native snake species are protected and importantly play a vital role in the ecosystem - preferably they can do that further away from our homes!
Photo credit: Snake Catchers Adelaide
20/11/2022
How much can a koala bear?
Spare a thought for wildlife like koalas, struggling just to just to hang on in this severe weather.
The AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline expects more calls in coming days about displaced and injured wildlife. Please keep an eye on your local furry friends and call us any time for help and advice.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞 0413 185 771
To support our work saving SA koalas and other wildlife visit akr.org.au/donate
Image courtesy:
19/11/2022
Here we go again… more severe weather is battering Adelaide, the Mount Lofty Ranges and other parts of South Australia today. The AKR 24/7 Hotline is receiving an influx of calls again for advice about displaced wildlife. Possums seem to be the species hardest hit due to fallen trees and limbs. Please when safe to do so, check around your home and street for wildlife left injured and/or homeless.
13/11/2022
Thanks to all of the good humans of South Australia calling for help and advice for all sorts of animals impacted by the wild weather. The AKR 24/7 Hotline has been flooded with calls (no pun intended!) so we also thank you for your patience. Trees and limbs are down everywhere and koalas, possums and other critters coming down with them. Please check downed trees and limbs in your area if safe to do so and call for advice if you find an animal you’re concerned about.
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How much can a koala bear?
Spare a thought for wildlife like koalas, struggling just to just to hang on in this severe weather.
The AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline expects more calls in coming days about displaced and injured wildlife. Please keep an eye on your local furry friends and call us any time for help and advice.
AKR 24/7 Emergency Hotline
📞 0413 185 771
To support our work saving SA koalas and other wildlife visit akr.org.au/donate
Image courtesy: @darrenbacchus
#wildweather #severeweather #holdontight #safloods #adelaide #adelaidehills #southaustralia #wildlife #koalas #adelaidekoalarescue #akr
Have you put water out today?
It’s heating up over coming days. Koalas and other wildlife - in fact all animals need our help and support to cope.
Shallow bowls or trays of water in shady spots will help all creatures survive from birds and bees to koalas.
If concerned for animal welfare in this heat call AKR 24/7 on 0413185771
www.akr.org.au
#nobodylikestheheat #heatstress #toohot #waterforwildlife #koalasdrinkwater #putwateroutforwildlife #akr
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Our Story
Adelaide Koala Rescue Ltd operates a free 24/7 animal rescue service in South Australia. We are a professionally-run organisation based in Adelaide and predominantly cover the Adelaide Hills and all metro areas. More than 50 koalas plus other species are admitted to and treated at the AKR Clinic each month. Our team is highly experienced and includes veterinary and animal science professionals, ecologists, research scientists, natural resource managers, veterinary students and conservationists. Additionally we are proud to have other professional individuals in our Crew who beyond rescues contribute their legal, finance, marketing, business and other expertise. We are rapidly growing and proud to have attracted many new recruits since our inception in 2018.
More than just koala rescue, treatment and rehab, AKR was established due to a dire need for effective advocacy for, education about and research to help save SA’s koalas. We are passionate about the plight of all wildlife and the state of their habitat as well as animal welfare generally. We work closely with our veterinary, research and conservation partners in an effort to improve welfare outcomes for animals now and into the future.
Our AKR Rescue Crew comprises 100+ volunteers skilled and experienced in koala capture and field assessment. Training is provided for new recruits as is support to help rescuers deal with the sad side of our work.
AKR values wild animals and wild places. Through public education we aim to improve respect for wildlife and other non-human animals as sentient beings. We are proud to have developed new and exciting partnerships with like-minded individuals, organisations and institutions.
AKR is developing a new model for koala rescue and rehabilitation in SA incorporating education and research. We are developing a range of rehabilitation facilities in SA that support our research aims and are a groundbreaking first for South Australia.
Adelaide Koala Rescue Limited is a not-for-profit organisation and registered Australian charity dependent 0n sponsorship and fundraising. Due to the volume of admissions we manage daily, we have little time for fundraising. We are excited to already have terrific sponsors on board and would love to hear from any other organisations keen to support us - email us at [email protected]
To make a donation directly to AKR visit akr.org.au/donate
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