Confused Koala Discovers His Home Has Been Cut Down (Photos)

By
Stephen Messenger
Writer
  • San Francisco University, BA in Linguistics
Stephen Messenger writes about animals and nature at the Dodo, and previously at TreeHugger
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Stephen Messenger
Updated August 26, 2019
©. Louise O'Brien/NSW WIRES

This koala looks rather sad. But who can blame him?

According to Australia's Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES), the sub-adult male koala was recently discovered sitting atop the remnants of what was once his home in Vittoria State Forest, New South Wales. Although the logging operation was approved by the forestry service, judging by the koala's confused expression, not everyone got the memo.

"Koalas would have been moved out of their homes in preparation for planned logging activities," says WIRES general manager, Leanne Taylor.

"It is common for koalas to roam back to their home range afterward and become confused to find nothing there. A worker noticed a koala had been sitting stationary in broad daylight on top of wood piles for over an hour."

The perplexed marsupial, found to have an injury on its eye, was transferred to a local vet before being relocated once again back into a different patch of forest. Forestry workers found three other koalas at the clearcut site and they were transferred as well.