'Lesser known threat' behind cute photo of koala sitting with cows
A farmer in rural Queensland snapped the seemingly innocent photo after a concerning incident on their property last weekend.
A seemingly innocent photo of a koala sitting in the middle of a group of cows has highlighted a “lesser known threat” facing Australia’s iconic marsupials.
While the young female appears to be unbothered by the curious cattle, there is a much darker truth behind the image taken by the worried owner of a rural property in South East Queensland last weekend, koala rescuer Darren told Yahoo News.
The local dad, who created habitat conservation awareness group Care4esk, said he was at first taken aback when the farmer contacted him on social media “saying that she had a koala that she presumed had been trampled by her cattle”.
The woman said the animal had since “managed to get up a tree on her property away from the cattle” and remained there until nightfall.
Koala's horrific injuries after being 'trampled by cows'
Concerned, Darren said he immediately contacted long-time rescuer Charlie Lewis, who lives closer to the property. After confirming the koala was still hiding in the tree, Charlie returned the following day to retrieve her.
Presuming the animal was seriously injured, she quickly ruled out using a trap or flagging it down with a long pole, Darren said.
“We didn’t want to add the extra stress to the koala,” he told Yahoo News. “So what the rescuer decided was to call a climber, and that’s like a last resort with a koala rescue and only in unique situations.”
Luckily, they were able to drive out and retrieve the marsupial.
“When the climber got it down, [Charlie] sent me a photo of the little girl in the rescue cage, and she looked fine. I thought, ‘Oh, she’s going to be fine. She’ll just go in for a check over,” Darren explained.
Tragically, it was revealed at the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital near Brisbane that the “dear little girl” had suffered multiple severe fractures. She was euthanised.
Cattle attacks 'rare' but still a 'very real' threat
While the three most common threats to koalas — chlamydia, which is believed to have been spread through the introduction of cattle to Australia, dog attacks and vehicles strikes — are well-known, many people may not realise how harmful cattle can also be.
“The cow attack certainly has to be acknowledged as being another threat, especially in the kind of region that we live in,” Darren told Yahoo, noting livestock and koalas often share the same land. “So, whilst it might be rare, there’s still a danger to koalas.”
If rural property owners spot koalas living among their livestock they are urged to be “watchful of situations that could pose a risk for them”.
“In most cases, they will be cohabiting in harmony, but unforeseen situations can still occur,” Darren warned.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.
