A mother koala and her joey have been released back into the wild after suffering life-threatening injuries in a dog attack.
The koala, named Lottie, was attacked by four dogs after she wandered into a suburban backyard.
Her joey was named Lucky because she managed to escape unharmed.
Lottie underwent surgery at the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland, where she was nursed back to health.
"This really is such a joy today to bring mum and bub back here and release them into the wild," says Fiona Gunn from Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
At the beginning of April, Lottie climbed into a backyard while foraging for food.
Eight month old Lucky escaped through the fence while mum was mauled.
Lottie’s recovery was a relief for the wildlife carer Jan Nilsson, who retrieved the badly injured koala.
"It's very good because quite often we have a lot of sad stories with the koalas we pick up who don't make it," says Nilsson.
The Australian Koala Foundation estimates there are fewer than 80,000 animals remaining in the wild across Australia.
In the state of Queensland, the koala is listed at vulnerable. The Foundation wants that status increased to critically endangered, especially in the South East corner of the state.
Dog attacks aside, koalas also face habitat destruction from housing developments, disease and car strikes.
For now, Lottie and Lucky are safe in the trees with rangers keeping a close eye on them.
APTN
