A 16yo Koala Taken From Adventure World Yesterday Afternoon Has Been Found And Returned

In 2021 we’ll be on the hunt for as many good news stories as we can find, and today we’re happy to tell you about Orana the koala.

Orana is a 16-year-old koala that lives at Adventure World as part of the Aussie Wildlife Experience, where kids (big and small) can get up close to native Australia animals.

Yesterday afternoon you may have seen a post circulating around Facebook asking people to help look for Orana, who’d be taken from the exhibit and set free in the bushland surrounding Adventure World.

The original post, from Klara Donovan, said:

“Friends who live around bibra lake/adventure world, I wanted to put out a call for help! Many of you know my sister Steph worked at Adventure World for many years with the wildlife. She had a very special bond with many of the animals but none moreso than the beautiful Orana, the koala. Last night somebody stole Orana from Adventure World and released her into nearby bush land (recorded and released on Snapchat). She is on medication and will be dead within the day if she isn’t found. If you have some time to head over that way and help join the search, please do! If not, consider sharing this post in case it reaches people who can help.Please help find this beautiful treasure.“

And fortunately late yesterday afternoon Orana was found by volunteer Jodie Jones about a kilometre from the theme park, who told Channel Nine: “A lady said they let it out near a roundabout – I had this feeling on the other side that we’d try this side and so we just parked up there and were walking down here and we found her up in the tree.”

Rescue crews brought Orana down to safety and the koala is back at Adventure World, while police are still on the hunt for her kidnapper.

Header image via Adventure World.