After the devastating bushfire season in Australia, the Koala habitat in the mid-north coast region of New South Wales has been recovering tremendously. Met by downpour, the wildfire season was officially marked over as of last week, on March 31.

Rescued from these raging bushfires last year, the marsupials have been recuperating in the care of zoos and animal hospitals.

Now, the first of the rescued Koalas are being released back into the wild.

In a statement, Dr Kellie Leigh, executive director of Science for Wildlife, said:

“While they have coped well in care, we are delighted to finally send our koalas home. We have been busy assessing the burnt area that we rescued them from, to establish when the conditions have improved enough that the trees can support them again.

The recent rains have helped and there is now plenty of new growth for them to eat, so the time is right. We will be radio-tracking them and keeping a close eye on them to make sure that they settle in OK.”

[Photo Courtesy: Science for Wildlife]