Environmental Students Use Canoe to Rescue a Koala Stranded Up a Tree Due to the Rising River

Rescuing Koala

While out canoeing on the Murray River at Ulupna Island in Victoria, Australia, students with the Latrobe University Bendigo Outdoor and Environmental Education came upon a lone koala who had sought refuge up a tree from the rising river during a severe storm that hit the area, but could not get back down for fear of drowning. One student brought his canoe in close and the tiny marsupial jumped aboard.

…the koala jumped on board straight away to be ferried back to shore. Once he was back on dry land you could see his back legs were wet so we guessed that he has maybe tried to swim back to shore but decided the current was maybe too strong. Once back on shore the koala didn’t seem worried about us being there at all and stuck around for a while taking a drink from the river.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.