Orphaned Koalas Released in Emmaville After Dog Attack and Car Crash

Two young koalas were released back into the wild at Emmaville, New South Wales, after wildlife organisation WIRES nursed them back to health.

In the September 3 video, WIRES volunteer Vickii Lett releases the two orphaned koalas, named Mary and Matthew, onto a private property in the New England town. The pair had lost their mothers in a dog attack and a car accident.

New studies conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF-Australia) have found that in the Moree-Collarenebri region, just 6 percent of original woodland remains. The clearance of koalas’ natural habitat has forced them into urban areas where they become susceptible to threats like domestic animals and traffic, according to WWF-Australia. The remaining area has been described as “sparse” woodland.

WWF Australia blamed the deforestation on changes to the NSW Native Vegetation Act in August 2017. Credit: WWF-Australia / Four Leg Films via Storyful