A young female koala named “Archie” was rescued at Warialda, dehydrated and unwell due to chlamydia, during the extreme heat of February. When Archie was taken into care, she was quickly transported to Port MacQuarie’s Koala Hospital, as local Veterinarian Michelle Coulton identified that due to her young age, she was in need of specialist treatment for what appeared to be a painful eye condition.
In a ‘spec savers’ moment, local wildlife carer Elizabeth Kakoschke misidentified her as a male. She was officially renamed “Warialda Elizabeth”, but her nickname of ‘Archie’ has stuck with her, and then the Royal family followed suit with the addition of their dear little newest baby.
A team of volunteers transported Archie on her long journeys to and from the coast. From Port MacQuarie she was transported on the ‘Koala Ambulance’ to long term koala carer, Denise Friendman. Then she was collected from Uralla by local koala volunteers Elizabeth Kakoschke and Ken Withers, to ensure she was released that day.
Archie was released at sunset, back to the very location she was rescued several weeks prior. She was welcomed home by John Hodge and youth from the local Challenge group. With newly installed water stations and plantings of koala food and habitat trees in her home territory, her future looks bright at Warialda.
There are another 2 young koalas that have been rescued over summer from Gwydir Shire, that are expected to return in the next few weeks. Future hope for this iconic and vulnerable and sadly declining species.
