Perched on a narrow cardinal marker platform in the middle of a lake, a small fluffy animal sat completely alone — surrounded by water with nowhere to go.
From his tiny wooden island, the exhausted koala could see Montague Point on Raymond Island, Victoria, Australia, in the distance. He clearly wanted to get back. The problem? He was too tired to swim.
The koala had likely entered the water after being startled on land and managed to reach the marker on his own. But now, soaked and drained, he crouched on the wooden slats, waiting — perhaps hoping someone would notice him.
Thankfully, someone did.
Debra, a local resident who regularly takes morning walks around Montague Point, spotted the lonely koala and immediately called Koalas of Raymond Island (KoRI) for help.
KoRI volunteers know that koalas will sometimes swim short distances on their own. But they also know the risks. Koalas aren’t strong swimmers, and their thick fur becomes heavy when wet. Given the conditions, this koala — later named Oscar — was unlikely to make it back safely without assistance.
“Oscar was called in very early in the morning on a day that was going to be in the 30s,” KoRI volunteer Shelley Robinson told The Dodo. “It was imperative that he was rescued quickly.”
Rescue team member Jane arrived first and assessed the situation. When a small boat passed nearby, she didn’t hesitate.
“She seized the opportunity to hail him over and ask for assistance to take her out to the marker,” KoRI shared on Facebook.
With the help of boat owner Dylan, Jane carefully approached the platform. Balancing at the front of the boat, the two executed a flawless rescue — gently lifting Oscar to safety without anyone ending up in the water.
Back on shore, the team examined Oscar and found no injuries. His fur was damp but not soaked, suggesting he’d spent the night resting on the platform. During his checkup, Oscar happily munched on fresh manna gum leaves, clearly relieved.
Soon after, Oscar was ready to return home.
“He was very agile and quick to climb high and fast when released,” Robinson said.
With any luck, Oscar’s swimming days are behind him — and his future holds nothing but dry land and eucalyptus trees.
To keep up with more rescues like Oscar’s, follow Koalas of Raymond Island on Facebook.
