Happy twist as Claude the koala inspires new trees to be planted after he gorged on six thousand dollars’ worth of seedlings at local nursery
Claude the koala made headlines around the world last September when he was caught red-handed eating his way through $6,000 worth of seedlings.
But the thefts of the very hungry marsupial at the… Eastern Forest Nursery near Lismore, in the north N.S.Wwhere new trees are planted after his rampage.
Nursery manager Humphrey Herington, who named the koala Claude because of its large claws, said it had eaten thousands of seedlings.
“It’s hidden in every type of koala food tree we grow here,” he said in September.
“Obviously Claude thinks this is a restaurant, but if it was, his bill would now be about $6,000.”
Mr Herington said Claude was ‘quite sloppy’ when he took him to his neighbour’s property a few hundred yards away.
But the cheeky koala returned just two days later in the hope of satisfying his appetite.
The publicity generated by Claude’s brazen desires led to the nursery receiving a large donation to cover the cost of the stolen saplings.
They returned the seedlings to the WWF to use in community projects.
Claude the koala (pictured) made headlines around the world last September when he was caught red-handed eating his way through $6,000 worth of seedlings
Pictured L-R: Nursery manager Humphrey Herington, Greens MP Sue Higginson and WWF’s Maria Borges help plant the new trees
About 500 seedlings have now been planted in a field near the nursery.
WWF-Australia Koalas Forever project officer Maria Borges said Claude’s crime showed there was a desperate need for food trees.
“This area in the Northern Rivers, particularly around Lismore, has been heavily cleared and really lacks good quality habitat for them,” she said.
“Through our Koalas Forever program, WWF is working with approximately ten local communities, including Traditional Owners and Indigenous Rangers, to implement habitat restoration and revegetation projects in the area.
“We have funded the planting of approximately 400,000 trees so far and we are targeting 500,000 by the end of the year.”
Greens MP Sue Higginson, on whose farm the seedlings were planted, was happy to be able to help.
“We are in one of the most biodiverse, rich areas on this continent, but historical clearing has seriously degraded the area,” she said.
‘Living with koalas is incredibly special, exciting and fun. The seedlings planted today complement the 10,000 trees we have planted here in recent years.
“We’re doing this because we have an incredible koala population here that is on the cusp of survival.”
Claude the koala is shown with his eye on some seedlings he took without permission
Ms Higginson said she was confident the newly planted trees would make a difference to the koalas and the landscape.
However, because he has been burned before, Mr. Herington has asked Claude to exercise some restraint in the future.
“Claude, if you’re watching this, please come back when they’ve grown into trees, not when they’re sitting as seedlings in our nursery,” he said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Claude for comment.
