Koala hit by car found safely wedged in grille

AUSTRALIA - A koala, nicknamed "Bear Grylls," is about to be released back into the wild in south Australia after it survived getting hit by a car and becoming trapped in its grille for several miles.

Real estate agent Loren Davis was traveling at about 60 miles per hour when she ran into the koala, named after British TV personality Michael “Bear” Grylls.

“When I saw it, I went to change lanes, but there was a car in the other lane, so I slammed on by brakes, but there was a car behind me that nearly hit up the back of me,” Davis said.

She said she pulled to the side of the road, but didn't see any trace of the marsupial.

It wasn’t until 15 minutes later when she pulled into her garage that she found the little creature, curled up in her grille, with its front paw dangling out.

“And I ran inside and my fiancé and my stepson were there and I was a bit upset. I thought the koala had died, but my fiancé ran out of the garage yelling, ‘He’s alive!’”

Davis called a koala rescue service and tried to make the animal comfortable as they waited for them to arrive.

“He wasn’t crying or making any sort of sound, but if we went near him, he growled. He wouldn’t let us near him,” said Davis.

The koala eventually pulled himself out of the grille and hung out on the couple’s workout equipment while waiting.

The koala had a few scratches, but otherwise appeared unscathed.

Two rescuers were eventually able to safely secure him and take him to a koala center. He will be released back into the wild soon.

WSBTV