The Koala Kid

For many people, the idea of cuddling a koala might sound amazing. These furry creatures, native to eastern Australia, are a beloved symbol of cuteness around the world. But what if you had to do everything—eat your meals, do your chores, even finish your homework—with a koala clinging to you? That’s daily life for 13-year-old Izzy Bee, who lives on Magnetic Island off the northeastern coast of Australia.

For many people, the idea of hugging a koala might sound amazing. People around the world love these cute creatures, which are native to eastern Australia. But what if you had to do everything with a koala? You’d eat, do your chores, and finish your homework with the furry animal hanging on to you. That’s daily life for 13-year-old Izzy Bee. She lives on Magnetic Island off the northeastern coast of Australia.

The island hosts a population of about 900 koalas—and sometimes, the animals find themselves in trouble. So Izzy’s mom, veterinarian Ali Bee, started a koala hospital at the family’s home. Izzy helps feed and care for sick and injured koalas and prepare them for release back into the wild. She stands in as a foster mom for baby koalas, called joeys, that have been orphaned and need around-the-clock care.

Izzy’s knack for caring for the creatures earned her the starring role in the new Netflix series Izzy’s Koala World, from media company The Dodo. Izzy hopes the show will raise awareness about the plight of koalas. These iconic animals are facing dire problems that threaten their existence in the wild.

About 900 koalas live on the island. And sometimes, the animals get in trouble. Izzy’s mom, Ali Bee, is a veterinarian. She started a koala hospital at the family’s home. Izzy helps feed and care for sick and injured koalas. She also helps prepare them for release back into the wild. Baby koalas, called joeys, can become orphaned and need around-the-clock care. Izzy acts as their foster mom.

Izzy has a talent for caring for koalas. That’s how she became the star of the new Netflix series Izzy’s Koala World, from media company The Dodo. Koalas need help, and Izzy hopes the show will spread the word. These beloved animals face serious threats. They could even disappear from the wild.

In recent decades, koala populations have plummeted (see Koalas in Decline). A report from the Australian state of New South Wales estimates that without significant human intervention, koalas could go extinct in the wild across most of their range by 2050.

Koalas make their homes in only a few dozen of the more than 700 eucalyptus species. The trees’ leaves are their sole food source. But deforestation, heat waves, and drought have taken a toll on koalas’ forest habitat. “That creates a lot of challenges for koala conservation because you have to make sure that these preferred food trees are able to persist in the environment,” says Amanda Lane, an ecologist with Biolink Ecological Consultants in Australia. The company works with the Australian government and nonprofit groups to preserve koala habitat.

Koala numbers have dropped sharply in recent decades (see Koalas in Decline). A report from the Australian state of New South Wales says that humans need to take strong action. Otherwise, koalas could disappear from the wild across most of their range by 2050.

Australia has more than 700 eucalyptus species, but koalas live in just a few dozen of them. The trees’ leaves are their only food source. But deforestation, heat waves, and drought have damaged koalas’ forest habitat. “That creates a lot of challenges for koala conservation because you have to make sure that these preferred food trees are able to persist in the environment,” says Amanda Lane. She’s an ecologist with Biolink Ecological Consultants in Australia. The company works with the Australian government and nonprofit groups to preserve koala habitat.

Struggling koala populations were dealt another blow when devastating bushfires swept across eastern Australia from July 2019 to March 2020. Lane watched the news in horror as the flames devoured areas where she’d once surveyed koala populations. Thousands of koalas are estimated to have died in the fires. Scientists fear the tragedy is bound to repeat itself. Climate change is causing temperatures on Earth to rise. Warmer weather has been linked to worsening wildfires. “Fires are becoming more frequent and more intense,” says Lane.

The deadly bushfires on the mainland make the koalas on Magnetic Island even more important to the survival of their species in the wild. “They’re not undergoing the stresses and damage that a lot of other populations are,” says Lane. “So they’re hugely valuable.”

Koala populations were already struggling. Then terrible bushfires swept across eastern Australia from July 2019 to March 2020. Lane watched the news in horror. The flames destroyed areas where she had counted koala populations. Estimates say thousands of koalas died in the fires. Scientists fear the tragedy is bound to repeat itself. Climate change is causing temperatures on Earth to rise. Warmer weather has been linked to an increase in wildfires. “Fires are becoming more frequent and more intense,” says Lane.

The deadly bushfires struck on the mainland. That makes the koalas on Magnetic Island even more important to their species’ survival in the wild. “They’re not undergoing the stresses and damage that a lot of other populations are,” says Lane. “So they’re hugely valuable.”

For as long as Izzy can remember, she’s shared her home with koalas in need of help. Some stay a single night, while others require months of care. Common reasons for koala hospital visits include being hit by cars, dog attacks, and run-ins with green ants. The insects bite koalas, attacking soft tissues like their eyes. 

Izzy and her parents are the only staff at the koala hospital, so looking after their patients is a team effort. “A typical day for me is waking up, getting ready for school, helping Mum feed some of the babies, and going around checking all the enclosures to make sure the koalas all look healthy and happy,” says Izzy.

Izzy shares her home with koalas that need help. It’s been that way for as long as she can remember. Some koalas stay a single night, but others need months of care. Most koalas visit the hospital because of car accidents, dog attacks, and run-ins with green ants. The insects bite koalas on soft tissues like their eyes.

Izzy and her parents are the only staff at the koala hospital. They work as a team to look after their patients. “A typical day for me is waking up, getting ready for school, helping Mum feed some of the babies, and going around checking all the enclosures to make sure the koalas all look healthy and happy,” says Izzy.

On weekends, she helps her dad gather eucalyptus leaves from different parts of the island to feed the koalas. It’s a job that has become harder as the trees have faced drier weather. “It takes a lot more time to find the right leaves,” she says.

It’s not unusual to have a dozen or more patients at the hospital at once. Izzy chooses a name for each new arrival. One young koala’s ears reminded Izzy of the Star Wars character Princess Leia, who wore her hair in two buns. So Izzy named the koala Leia. Izzy named another Chompy because of the noisy way he munches eucalyptus leaves.

On weekends, she helps her dad gather eucalyptus leaves to feed the koalas. They find leaves on different parts of the island. But the job has become harder because drier weather has affected the trees. “It takes a lot more time to find the right leaves,” she says.

Often, a dozen or more patients stay at the hospital at once. Izzy chooses a name for each new arrival. She named one young koala Leia, after the Star Wars princess. The koala’s ears reminded her of the two buns in the character’s hairstyle. Another koala had a noisy way of eating eucalyptus leaves. So Izzy named him Chompy.

“All koalas have different personalities,” says Izzy. And caring for each one brings its own challenges. Chompy, for example, was an orphaned joey. When he arrived at the hospital, Izzy couldn’t get the baby koala to drink milk from a dropper. Koalas are marsupials. Koala babies drink their mom’s milk while tucked inside a pouch on her belly (see A Koala’s Life). To make Chompy more comfortable, Izzy did what actual koala moms do: She let the baby cling to her while she went about her daily activities. Chompy even slept in a crate next to Izzy’s bed. Her dedication paid off, and he finally began to slurp down his milk.

“All koalas have different personalities,” says Izzy. And different challenges come with caring for each one. For example, Chompy arrived at the hospital as an orphaned joey. Izzy couldn’t get the baby koala to drink milk from a dropper. Koalas are marsupials. Koala babies are tucked inside a pouch on their mom’s belly. That’s where they drink their mom’s milk (see A Koala’s Life). To make Chompy more comfortable, Izzy did what real koala moms do. She let the baby cling to her while she did her daily activities. Chompy even slept in a crate next to Izzy’s bed. Her hard work paid off, and he finally began to drink his milk.

The hospital’s ultimate goal is to return its patients to the wild. When injured koalas have healed and orphans have grown big enough, the tree-dwelling animals are moved to larger outdoor enclosures where they are free to climb and jump. “We assess them to make sure they’re able to do all the things that koalas would do out in the wild,” explains Ali Bee.

The hospital’s goal is to return its patients to the wild. When injured koalas have healed and orphans have grown big enough, they’re moved to larger outdoor enclosures. There, the tree-dwelling animals are free to climb and jump. “We assess them to make sure they’re able to do all the things that koalas would do out in the wild,” explains Ali Bee.

After a final checkup, the family transports the recuperated animal to a release site. By this point, Izzy may have cared for the koala for a year or more. Now she places it on a tree trunk and watches it climb up into the branches. It’s always a bittersweet moment, she says. “I’m going to miss them, but I also know that they’re going back into the wild where they belong.”

Back at the hospital, the newly released koala’s old enclosure doesn’t stay empty for long. There’s always another koala that needs help. With the serious threats currently facing the animals, every koala is important. And that’s exactly how Izzy treats each one.

After a final checkup, the family brings the former patient to a release site. Izzy may have cared for this koala for a year or more. Now she places it on a tree trunk and watches it climb up into the branches. It’s always a bittersweet moment, she says. “I’m going to miss them, but I also know that they’re going back into the wild where they belong.”

Back at the hospital, the newly released koala’s old enclosure is empty. But it doesn’t stay that way for long. Another koala always needs help. Because serious threats face the animals, every koala is important. And that’s exactly how Izzy treats each one.