"TURNER" Australian Koala

"TURNER"

Australian Koala Laid to Rest

 

It was another humid day here in South Australia, the weather once again not quite what we South Aussies are used to living in the driest State in the driest Continent on Earth.
The weather pattern seems to have certainly changed and not only are we humans not enjoying this change, Wildlife could be suffering as well.

"TURNER"

Well we, Colin and I, called him Turner as his abode was Turners Gully Road, Clarendon. A Grand Old Man was this Koala but very sadly he was humanely euthanized just a few days ago. 

"Turner" the Grand Old Koala

We moved to the Hills of Clarendon a few short months ago, an amazing change from living by the Ocean. It was a move that we both desired as being Wildlife Photographers the Hills we felt this offered us a new challenge and greater variety.
It was a rough start for us as the big rains in South Australia came last September. They came with such a force there was so much flooding and damage, rains that most of us have not seen for many, many a year.
We cleaned up, we re-established waterlogged gardens and started to enjoy the very reason we had moved to the Hills. We listened to the vast amount of bird calls but one call that we were not ofay with and which upset and scared our two Border-collies and cat, was the loud bellowing of the male Koalas and especially on a still night.
The males bellowed, they grunted, they beat their chests with their fists, testosterone filled the air and our dogs and cat simply scuttled inside seeking refuge from the amazing noise that came from these males.
Turner was the first Koala we spotted, well actually one of my Border-collies spotted him first.
She, LittleB, became our Koala spotter. We made her keep her distance as we did not want to upset nor scare the Koalas while keeping her safe as well.
My Border-collies have been taught to stay behind when we are out in the field. They have been taught to never chase any form of Wildlife which for Colin and I is also paramount with our Photography.
Last November LittleB spotted a Koala sitting on the ground next to a large Gum Tree. She seemed distressed, she kept going near the Koala then retuning back to us, we thought the Koala was possibly just resting as it was a rather humid day again, unusual for the month of November.


LittleB and "Turner"

It was late afternoon and Turner stayed where he was until dusk. We could see he was keeping an eye on us and the pups with Oscar the cat not overly interested. The sun was going down and the air was beginning to cool and Turner was on the move looking for a suitable tree to climb and have his supper. He seemed quite normal to us as we are novices with Koala knowledge, he simply munched away on his juicy Gum leaves. We went inside and the day for us closed down but later again that night we heard the bellowing of the Grand Old Man.
That clear and starry night Turner was joined in harmony with another male close by, now two were bellowing out their calls to each other and what a racket they both made boasting quite possibly who owned what female and who owned what piece of territory in Turners Gully Road. Colin and I smiled and we both realised we had truly moved to the Adelaide Hills.
Kookaburras calling their glorious laugh, Koalas grunting and bellowing, Kangaroos bounding through the neighbours property.
What more could we possibly ask for.
The weeks went by, Christmas came and was gone and we found our other male Koala, a lot younger but no less timid as Turner was to us. This male is small by comparison with possibly being from a mating only last year. He lives up in the neighbours back trees only sometimes venturing onto our acre of paradise. One day while walking down our driveway there he was sitting in the fork of a tree only two metres off the ground. Again LittleB was fascinated as now she had another Koala to sit, mother and watch. This little man also watched with curiosity possibly trying to work out what was staring at him. He stayed around for a few days enjoying the Gum trees on our property but finally left as Turner was it seemed, becoming a bit grumpier day by day.


"Turner"

Young male Koala














Turner again appeared only a week ago when the temperatures soared into the low 40's. Hot, humid conditions once again and this time LittleB found him at the base a Plum tree right out the front of our home. He was near the tap and hose and we had already placed water out for all the Wildlife. Birdbaths a plenty and this time many bowls on the ground as we noticed even the smallest of Skinks were seeking out a water supply. What we Wildlife enthusiasts do to help give every animal a much needed water supply in very, very hot conditions. The Australian Magpies also are a treat to watch jumping, running and simply laying down under the sprinklers on the lawns, comical to say the least.
Back to Turner at the base of the Plum tree. I turned on the hose and sprayed the tree butt with water, Turner woke and started lapping the water off the tree. I had been informed that Koalas don't drink water, they get their moisture from leaves but this Koala certainly was lapping up all he could get so we placed a bowl of water not too far from him.
Night fell again, more rains came and the next morning he was gone back up into the trees feeding on those ever delicious Gum leaves.
Last Sunday 22nd January 2017 was not a good day for Turner. Colin was out hand watering due to the dreadful humid conditions once again and found Turner this time on the ground next to a Gum tree a couple of metres down an embankment. The soft earth was damp and Turner appeared to be asleep. Colin called to me and I suggested he hose the butt of the tree again and see what response we got from him.
He immediately responded and started lapping the water from the tree so again we got another bowl and this time Colin placed it on the ground next to him. No arguments from Turner and to our amazement his sense of smell took him straight to the bowl. He stumbled a bit but we thought it was the soft earth unsettling his balance. He drank and drank and kept drinking so much we felt possibly he may have been dehydrated. After what seemed an eternity I dashed and got my camera so I could video a Koala lapping water. I have also aired another video of Turner doing what Koalas do in trees so all those around the globe may have the privileged of seeing the antics of an Australian Marsupial.
It was then that Colin noticed Turners eyes were very congested and he seemed to have a palsy on the right side of his mouth and his head was also tilted to the right.
We rang Fauna Rescue SA (Koala Rescue) immediately, it was Sunday, they came straight away and checked him over, Turner was gravely ill.
He was very gently placed into a cage and taken away to the Vet who would assess his situation but very sadly for Turner he was euthanized immediately. Turner was suffering with the dreadful disease Chlamydia which for a Koala is a very painful death. Euthanasia was the best and most humane option for Turner and we will sorely miss the bellowing from the Grand Old Man of Turners Gully Road.
His progeny live on and who knows if the young male Koala is one of his ..

We do know that this Joey certainly is.... 

Female Koala and her Joey

Asleep amongst the Gum trees

A short video of Colin helping the Koala we named "Turner"
Fauna Rescue SA (Koala Rescue) promptly attended, reviewed the situation and took appropriate measures for him.
Chlamydia in the Koala population is a highly contagious disease with a severely painful death so Turners suffering was laid to rest by qualified Veterinary Surgeons.


"TURNER"

"TURNER"  A sad and moving story but from Turner his heritage will live on forever.

Female Koala & "Turners" Joey

Canon EOS 1DX
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM


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