A severely malnourished koala found by a member of the public in Dorrigo NSW has gained almost 600gm in her first week of care thanks to local WIRES volunteer Anthony Heidemann.

Heidemann collected the starving female koala, named Megan, from a local vet after being handed in suffering from a paralysis tick and muscle wastage down her left side.

“When I picked Megan up she was totally flat, face down and limp and I honestly didn’t expect her to survive,” said Heidemann. "I have been hand-feeding her as she is still too weak to eat by herself but she’s a real fighter and I am confident she will make a full recovery.”

Heidemann is one of hundreds of volunteers across NSW who rescue and care for our native wildlife but there is always a need for more people to help. Caring for koalas is particularly difficult and requires knowledge and dedication as they can be easily stressed, which is why WIRES provides accredited training from experienced rescuers and carers to ensure the highest quality of care.

“We urgently need more WIRES volunteers in the local area,” said Heidemann. “So we're asking anyone who has an interest in helping our wildlife to please attend the upcoming WIRES Rescue and Immediate Care Course on 5 March.”

Anyone interested in attending the accredited WIRES Rescue and Immediate Care Course on 5 March in Coffs Harbour can book by emailing training@wires.org.au. For more information please visit wires.org.au