A young, adventurous koala ended up catching a ride on a Brisbane bus after dodging traffic on a busy road in the city’s inner-east on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
The local council bus’s grab rails would normally be used for passengers’ safety, but that is where the tree-dwelling marsupial, named Peri, found refuge on the weekend.<\/p>\n
Koala Rescue Brisbane South’s Brianne Barkla said she was in disbelief when she heard the native animal was on a bus in Camp Hill.<\/p>\n
“It’s the first time I’ve dealt with the koala on a bus,” the non-profit organisation’s rescue lead said.<\/p>\n
The CityGlider bus is a high-frequency service in Brisbane’s inner suburbs. (Supplied: Koala Rescue Brisbane South)<\/p>\n
When Ms Barkla arrived at the scene, she said she was surprised to find the koala “was literally in the bus”.<\/p>\n
She said the bus driver told her the koala had crossed the road and had almost been hit by a car, before climbing up a metal pole in the middle of a traffic island.<\/p>\n
Concerned that the koala could slip down the pole and be hit by ongoing traffic, the bus driver used a jacket to cover the koala’s head and placed it on the bus.<\/p>\n
Ms Barkla was then called to help.<\/p>\n
She said the koala had looked healthy, but as a precaution was taken to the RSPCA.<\/p>\n
“The following day we received the news that there was nothing wrong,” Ms Barkla said.<\/p>\n
She said the driver was also OK, with no scratches from the marsupial.<\/p>\n
“We are really thankful the bus driver cared so deeply for the koala’s safety,” Ms Barkla said.<\/p>\n
The koala was released on Sunday afternoon in Seven Hills Bushland Reserve \u2014 the reserve closest to where he was located.<\/p>\n
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Without paying 50 cents, Peri took refuge on the pole in the middle of the bus. (Supplied: Koala Rescue Brisbane South)<\/p>\n
Inspired by a line in the classic Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, the animal rescue service named him Peri.<\/p>\n
“We were trying to work out some kind of Christmas theme, so we thought about the ‘partridge in a pear tree’, Peri,” Ms Barkla said.<\/p>\n
She said Peri would have been classified as a “sub-adult”, meaning more than 12 months old.<\/p>\n
“Young but old enough to be on its own,” Ms Barkla said.<\/p>\n
‘Delicate’ but ‘ferocious’ creatures<\/p>\n
Ms Barkla said the rescue organisation did not get many calls from around Seven Hills Reserve.<\/p>\n
“There are koalas there, but [it’s] very few and far between that we will receive a call in that area,” she said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says Peri was helped by an “incredible” bus driver. (Supplied: Koala Rescue Brisbane South)<\/p>\n
Ms Barkla said it was a positive sign that koalas were at the reserve, but it was also a concern that they were wandering away.<\/p>\n