A new study by Murraya Lane and colleagues in the scientific journal Animals shows that there can be little difference in commonly observed health indicators, such as body condition and blood values, between koalas that were rescued from a burnt landscape and then rehabilitated and re-released into that landscape, and koalas that remained in the burnt landscape. All koalas in question were from the Snowy Monaro Shire in NSW. 

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It is important to note that although in poor body condition when rescued, none of the rehabilitated and released koalas was severely burnt, and only three had superficial burns. 

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When compared to koalas in a nearby unburnt landscape, the health indicators of both rehabilitated koalas and those left in the burnt landscapes, were also similar. This led the authors to suggest that koalas can fare well in burnt landscapes, and there may not be a need to rescue koalas from patchilly burnt habitats unless they need urgent veterinary care (e.g. because they are injured). They also suggest that rehabilitated koalas may be released back into these habitats.