NSW: Grave fears for koalas in Pilliga Nature Reserve

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-2006
NSW: Grave fears for koalas in Pilliga Nature Reserve

SYDNEY, Dec 2 AAP - Wildlife rescuers fear for a large koala population in the Pilliga
Nature Reserve in central NSW where bushfires continue to rage out of control.

The Pilliga koala colony is one of Australia's most genetically diverse, spread across
a vast tract of bushland.

A specialist rescue team from Sydney's Taronga Zoo and the National Parks and Wildlife
Service fears up to hundreds of the animals could already have died.

The team - a veterinarian, a veterinary nurse and a koala handler - arrived earlier
today and will be based at the nearby town of Coonabarabran, Taronga Zoo spokesman Mark
Williams said.

"There's certainly been a lot of koalas and other wildlife killed, because from what
I can gather from the Rural Fire Service reports it's quite a substantial area of country
that's been burnt out," Mr Williams said.

The fire is burning across a 30km front and more than 100,000 hectares of scrub have been burnt.

"Given that amount of country being destroyed by such intense fires, I mean these are
not grassfires, these are heavy duty Eucalyptus fires, you are bound to have lost animals,"

he said.

"Given that there are believed to be thousands of koalas in the Pilliga you'd have
to guess that dozens, if not hundreds of animals could have perished."

He said a specialist team managed to rescue only two koalas when a fire burnt through
the area several years ago.

No injured koalas have been presented to the team so far.

Mr Williams said Rural Fire Service and National Parks officers would patrol the bush
for injured animals.

But if the past is any indication, large bushfires tend to destroy everything in their path.

"If they're caught in the path of the fire then sadly, it's the end usually," Mr Williams said.

"What we're looking for is some (animals) that may have been able to break through
the edges of the fire and so it's best if we're on the site because even if it's only
a handful we've got a much better chance of helping them survive if we can get veterinary
treatment to them immediately," Mr Williams said.

"Whatever we get, whether it be koalas, wallabies or anything, we'll do our best to help."

Injured animals will be assessed at the scene and transported to Dubbo's Western Plains
Zoo for treatment.

AAP krc/cjh/de

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW KOALA

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