Pickup takes koala for wild ride in wheel well Down Under

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Updated Sep 20, 2017

And you think you’ve been on some wild rides.

A koala in Australia has made international news after surviving a 10-mile trip inside the wheel well of a 4Ă—4 pickup.

The driver pulled over after being alerted by other motorists, according to Australian news station 9 News Adelaide (see video below).

Firefighters found the frightened marsupial clinging tightly to suspension components, refusing to let go. It was only after the tire was removed that the koala, a female, opted to leave the wheel well behind.

Amazingly, the critter had only minor injuries. After a week of recuperating with wildlife rehabilitators, the kola was released back into the wild—er, bush.