CANBERRA, Feb 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – A “lucky” koala has been rescued after a dash across a South Australian freeway caused a six-car collision.
South Australia police confirmed that the pileup was caused, when a car stopped on Adelaide’s South Eastern Freeway, to try and rescue a koala on the road, was hit from behind, causing a chain reaction.
Adelaide woman, Nadia Tugwell, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio that, the marsupial ended up travelling in her car, after a prolonged rescue mission.
“I was minding my own business and next minute I see a little koala between the cars and the concrete barrier, right near me,” she said.
“The koala was just cute… sort of stomping between the cars and the barrier. Then I saw a lady running behind it, trying to catch it with a blanket or something.
“When it saw me it instantly turned around to run back, but the other lady was there and so we jumped it, bundled it up, and it ended up in my car because she had children in her car.”
Tugwell, who has rescued animals in the past, arranged to meet the Adelaide Koala Rescue at a nearby service station.
While waiting, the marsupial made itself comfortable clinging onto the steering wheel.
Ann Bigham, a Koala Rescue volunteer, said, the koala escaped the incident without injuries and was set free a kilometre from the freeway.
“The koala was in really good condition, it was lucky it hadn’t been hit at all and thanks to the rescuers it was kept safe,” she said.
One person involved in the car crash was sent to hospital with a neck injury, prompting Damien Eichner from SA Police, to advise drivers against stopping on freeways.
“Anyone who leaves his or her vehicle on a busy freeway like that is placing themselves at extreme risk,” he said.
“Whilst the safety of the animal is important to us, the safety of the people is more important.”– NNN-AGENCIES
