Healthy Koalas DON’T drink!
Koalas get their name from an Aboriginal word meaning 'no drink,' a testament to how they obtain most of their water from the leaves they eat.
SKER takes a holistic approach to koala rehabilitation, managing the entire process from initial rescue and veterinary care to daily care and eventual release. This comprehensive approach, combined with our focus on data collection and research, has been crucial in identifying behavioural trends and establishing a baseline for "normal" koala behaviour both in a rehabilitation setting and in the wild. Based on over 10 years of observation, including the care of more than 30 hand-raised joeys and hundreds of adult koalas, and analysis of public reports of wild koalas, we have concluded that, in our experience, a koala observed drinking is likely not healthy.
From this data we beleive healthy koalas can climb big trees and still access the juicy leaves on our drought-tolerant eucalyptus trees. These koalas get all the water they need from the leaves. Sick or injured koalas struggle to climb big trees to reach those leaves, and this is possibly why they then seek out water from other sources.
A healthy wild koala will not let humans get close, let alone take water from a perceived predator; if a koala allows you to approach, it's a sign they need help.
After this story appeared on 7 News, a few people asked, "But couldn't the koala just be dehydrated?" So we thought it was worth explaining this further.
The definition of dehydration is "a harmful reduction in the amount of water in the body." A dehydrated koala is not a healthy koala, and while a bowl of water will help in the short term, they need veterinary assistance as well.
South Australian koalas, in particular, have issues with kidney disease, and being dehydrated, if not properly rectified, can impact their kidneys long term and may lead to death.
This is why we are asking people to put out water for all wildlife to access, but to ALSO call us for help if you spot a koala drinking. Having our own on-site veterinary clinic means we can put koalas on IV fluids, which helps reduce the long-term impacts of dehydration.
And please remember, NEVER pour water into any animal's mouth. If water gets into the lungs, this can cause pneumonia, which can be fatal to wild animals. Always place water in a shallow bowl for the animal to drink from.
Please call SKER on 0435 056 252 if you are ever unsure – the koalas will thank you!"
