CCTV has captured a koala’s early morning outing to a Sydney train station – the fluffy commuter straying dangerously close to the platform edge on his stroll.
Just after 4.15am on Friday the koala squeezed through a fence at Casula station and onto the platform, where it breached the yellow line and wandered along the platform edge.
The koala then heads straight for the staircase, meandering up onto the pedestrian bridge. The koala seems to consider taking the elevator down to the platform, but keeps walking when no lift arrives.
Five minutes later, when heading back down the stairs to the platform, another commuter comes face-to-face with the animal, who poses for a quick picture before continuing his journey.
At this point, a guard on a passing train notices the koala and called the incident into the Rail Operations Centre.
Trains in the area were then warned to slow down when passing through Casula for the koala’s safety. NSW Police were also called in to ensure the koala got home safely.
Police officers followed the koala down the platform towards nearby bushland.
The koala scaled the fence, climbing over before police had to intervene, and was able to return into the bush unharmed.
A spokesperson for Transport for NSW warned all commuters must abide by safety rules when on train platforms.
“All passengers, great and small, are reminded to stay behind the yellow line.”
South-west Sydney is home to a large koala population, but they face mounting threats from urban development.
Vehicle strikes have increased in the region as new roads increasingly divide their natural habitat and force the animals into harm’s way.
The NSW government has invested $600,000 into the region as part of its koala strategy, appointing a dedicated koala officer, restoring habitats and tracking the animals to avoid vehicular deaths.
The strategy also targets 18 other koala populations across the state, backed by a total investment of $15.7 million.
The koala isn’t the first four-legged commuter to shock train station staff this year. In April an escaped racehorse made its way to Warwick Farm station, trotting up and down the platform for several minutes.
The horse even ran alongside a train before he was captured unharmed.
with AAP
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