Author: Kailas Wild

Kailas Wild is an Australian climbing arborist, conservationist, and wildlife rescuer whose field experience shaped his first book. The 99th Koala recounts his work during the 2019 and 2020 bushfire emergency, when he entered damaged landscapes to locate and retrieve koalas stranded high in burned trees. The title refers to Joey Kai, an orphaned koala whose rescue became one part of a much larger effort involving carers, veterinarians, tree climbers, and community volunteers. Simon & Schuster Australia published the book as an account of practical rescue work and the relationships formed around threatened wildlife. Wild's professional skill in moving safely through tree canopies gave him a distinctive role within that response. The 99th Koala combines personal testimony with close observation of animals, habitat, and recovery after fire. It also emphasizes that successful rescue depends on coordinated expertise, sustained care, and the less visible work that continues after an animal reaches the ground.