Gwendolyn, our resident koala, is quite the celebrity after returning to Kuyper last Thursday. This feisty lady has brought a community of koala lovers together from around the nation.
Gwendolyn has chlamydia, a debilitating bacterial infection that is one of the leading killers of Australia’s koalas. When she required another trip to the hospital with severe symptoms earlier this year, the outlook was grim. Gwendolyn’s remarkable recovery is the result of a cooperative effort between local groups and wildlife organisations around the country including,
- Hawkesbury WIRES, Richmond NSW
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Currumbin Qld
- Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, Beerwah Qld
- Koala Hospital, Port Macquarie NSW
- Science for Wildlife, Mt Victoria NSW
- Vineyard Veterinary Hospital, Vineyard NSW
Gwen’s surgical success is a first for our local WIRES team, who will continue to monitor her health via a tracker installed by Dr Kellie Leigh from Science for Wildlife. The tracker will enable local experts to trace and examine Gwen in six months using in-the-field ultrasound equipment. In the meantime, our local eucalypts provide an excellent koala habitat, and there is hope that Gwendolyn might produce a joey.
As a school community, we are grateful for the privilege of sharing our beautiful bush location with Gwendolyn and reminded again that it all belongs to Jesus; every square, furry inch.
Read more about Gwendolyn in the Hawkesbury Gazette.