IF IT had not been for a Salamander Bay woman’s life-saving call to the Hunter Koala Preservation Society, AT Dexter would likely be dead now.
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Dexter, a two-year-old male koala, was hit by a car along Port Stephens Drive on July 22.
Noah’s Ark Vet Clinic veterinarian Donald Hudson named Dexter. The AT was added at the beginning as a nod to his rescuers, Active Tree Services.
The Salamander Bay woman saw Dexter crawling up her driveway after he was hit, broken leg dragging behind him, and called the society for help.
“I don’t know why people don’t stop when they hit a koala,” Sue Swain, a society carer, said. “I think they panic thinking they’ve run over a protected animal and will get slapped with a fine, or will be hit with the medical bills. But that’s not what happens.”
Mrs Swain and her husband Noel that were called out to rescue Dexter. By the time they arrived he had somehow climbed 40-foot up into a tree.
The Swains called the Nelson Bay-based Active Tree Services for help in getting him down. Two men arrived with a cherry picker a short time later and, wearing Mrs Swain’s welding gloves, turned into koala rescuers.
“[Dexter] bit the crap out of the poor guy that brought him down,” Mrs Swain said.
“Situations like this are a problem. We’re not covered to go up in the cherry pickers and they [arborists] aren’t qualified to rescue koalas.”
Dexter was taken to Noah’s Ark Vet Clinic for assessment. He was found to have a fracture in the femur of his back right leg, which required surgery, and a fracture in the growth plate of his pelvis.
Mrs Swain has been caring for Dexter ever since he came out of surgery where pins and plates were inserted into the fractured femur.
She described Dexter as “adorable”, “lovable” and “very friendly”.
“Big boys like him love their food,” Mrs Swain said. “If you keep feeding them, they’ll love you.”
Dexter was due to get the plaster off his leg on Monday, which would be followed by up to three weeks of rehabilitation. Once he is given the all clear, Dexter will be released at Horizons Golf Resort, which is near where he was hit.
“It’s taken him almost three months to get to the other side of the road,” Mrs Swain said.