Cronus
21st August, 2010, 12:28 AM
Koalas are famously chilled, laid-back creatures who don't like a lot of excitement.
So imagine the shock this little critter suffered after it was hit by a car in Australia and got stuck in the front grille.
The vehicle struck the fully grown male koala near Narrawong in Victoria's south west after leaving the town of Portland, west of Melbourne.
The driver, who was travelling at about 50mph, hit the brakes after striking the animal with his Ford Falcon on the Princes Highway.
http://i34.tinypic.com/2zqr86c.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/ea5ahc.jpg
Assuming the animal was dead, he was stunned to find the koala very much alive and wedged in the car's front grille.
The shocked marsupial was trapped just under the licence plate with its front paws and head hanging out the front of the vehicle.
The driver phoned Portland's after-hours veterinary service before driving nine cautious miles at low speed back into town.
Local veterinarian Lisia Sturm was astounded to find the animal had survived without a scratch.
'It looked quite surprised - if koalas can look surprised,' Dr Sturm told ninemsn.
'It had its bum wedged right in there meaning it couldn't get out.
'But he was a big boy and looked really healthy. He didn't have any injuries at all not even a graze.'
The koala was cut from the grille with bolt cutters.
It was kept under observation for the rest of the day before being released back into its prior habitat later that afternoon.
Dr Sturm said the koala's amazing escape showed it was important for drivers to stop and examine an animal following an accident before seeking veterinarian treatment.
Ko-walloped! The koala bear who cheated death after he was struck by a car at 50mph... and got his bum stuck in the grill | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1304462/Ko-walloped-The-koala-bear-cheated-death-struck-car-50mph--got-bum-stuck-grill.html)
So imagine the shock this little critter suffered after it was hit by a car in Australia and got stuck in the front grille.
The vehicle struck the fully grown male koala near Narrawong in Victoria's south west after leaving the town of Portland, west of Melbourne.
The driver, who was travelling at about 50mph, hit the brakes after striking the animal with his Ford Falcon on the Princes Highway.
http://i34.tinypic.com/2zqr86c.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/ea5ahc.jpg
Assuming the animal was dead, he was stunned to find the koala very much alive and wedged in the car's front grille.
The shocked marsupial was trapped just under the licence plate with its front paws and head hanging out the front of the vehicle.
The driver phoned Portland's after-hours veterinary service before driving nine cautious miles at low speed back into town.
Local veterinarian Lisia Sturm was astounded to find the animal had survived without a scratch.
'It looked quite surprised - if koalas can look surprised,' Dr Sturm told ninemsn.
'It had its bum wedged right in there meaning it couldn't get out.
'But he was a big boy and looked really healthy. He didn't have any injuries at all not even a graze.'
The koala was cut from the grille with bolt cutters.
It was kept under observation for the rest of the day before being released back into its prior habitat later that afternoon.
Dr Sturm said the koala's amazing escape showed it was important for drivers to stop and examine an animal following an accident before seeking veterinarian treatment.
Ko-walloped! The koala bear who cheated death after he was struck by a car at 50mph... and got his bum stuck in the grill | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1304462/Ko-walloped-The-koala-bear-cheated-death-struck-car-50mph--got-bum-stuck-grill.html)