Soft toy koalas positioned as signage in NYC to raise funds for WIRES

Stuffed plush toy koalas have been scattered and positioned in locations all over New York City, to raise funds for wildlife rehabilitation charity WIRES.

Attached to the koalas is a QR code that directs passers by to the Koalas of NYC Gofundme page - https://au.gofundme.com/f/koalasofnyc/donate - set up by Cummins & Partners NYC.

A statement by WIRES CEO, Leanne Taylor on www.wires.org.au confirms that the allocation of donations received by WIRES will be used to assist as many animals as possible across the nation.

“We can and will allocate funding and support to all states and territories where needed to assist animals affected by this crisis. We will soon be announcing some new initiatives that have been made possible through these generous contributions.

Right now, our staff, qualified experts and volunteers are working around the clock to ensure that as many native animals as possible receive the ongoing care, supplementary food and recovery they need. This includes koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, possums, echidnas, birds, reptiles and more.

There is an immediate need to locate, rescue and care for injured animals and while this will be a long process in itself, there is a much longer term focus needed on supporting animals affected by the loss of habitat, the shortage of food and depletion of their populations in the wild. With the imminent risk to threatened species on the pathway to extinction as a result of the mass elimination of habitat, urgent action is needed," says Leanne in the statement.

An Instagram account, @koalasofnyc, has also been created for the fundraiser, depicting some of the koalas’ adventures throughout the city.

Picture credit - Jeremy Cohen