Big Thumbs Up to Powercor for Koala rescue

Ever seen a couple of burly blokes get mushy over a cuddly koala? Well last night 2 unsung heroes from Powercor came to the rescue of a badly injured Koala.

In what unfolded to be a dramatic 3 hour rescue, the team at BADGAR wildlife rescue were called to assist an injured koala, hit by a car just off Brewery Tap Road in Ballarat. The Koala had serious injuries to its legs and was bleeding badly. The animal was reported to the 1300 BADGAR number by a worried driver who hit the animal just after 4 pm last night. Shortly after the BADGAR team arrived on site, to be rendered almost useless because the koala in fear, had scaled a 30m high dead pine tree, where is sat bleeding.

No rescue equipment could help the animal as it was too high in the tree and weather conditions were too harsh for climbers. After a desperate ring around, it was Powercor who came to the rescue with an enormous truck that had a bucket crane attached. Tiffany Ampt, a BADGAR rescuer was given the hair-raising job of riding in the bucket with the Powercor team, as it extended 25m into the air to reach the koala. After about 6 minutes of careful positioning, Tiffany managed to reach the koala just in time, using her training skills to grab the koala in a position where neither her nor the animal would get hurt.

Powercor did not charge a single cent for the hour long service and the team had just finished a day’s work when they got the call. Without them the rescue would not have been possible and the koala’s fate would not have been as positive.

The animal was taken straight to a local vet who performed minor surgery on the leg and treated other injuries. It was then taken to Beremboke Wildlife Shelter near Brisbane Ranges where it will undergo vital rehabilitation before being released back to the wild in the same area it came from.

“Without them [Powercor], this operation would not have been possible. It’s a big ask for a company to dispatch a large piece of machinery at no cost, so we’re really grateful” explains Walt Collins, Badgar co-founder.

“It was extremely scary being 25m in the air facing an angry koala, but you forget the fact you’re dangling on a crane and just get on with the job, it was a brilliant rescue’ adds Tiffany.

Thanks again to the man who reported it and a big thanks to Powercor for once again doing their bit for the community, the whole team at BADGAR are very grateful.