The four-year-old male survived an hour clinging to the grille of a car as it sped down the Bruce Highway last Friday – with a torn nail the worst of his injuries.

The marsupial’s rough ride began when it was struck by the car just outside of Maryborough.

He was spotted 88 kilometres later when the car pulled into a Gympie service station.

Australia Zoo vet Dr Claude Lacasse said Timberwolf was now resting at the zoo’s wildlife hospital.

“This is something we usually see in birds, however they are generally not so lucky,” Dr Lacasse said.

“It is absolutely amazing that he has such minor injuries and he survived.”

Timberwolf was named by Australia Zoo leaf cutters who were in the Gympie area harvesting eucalyptus branches when the case was called in.

Timberwolf was the name of their football team at a recent charity match for the Wildlife Warriors.

He was treated with painkillers on Friday afternoon, but his wounds simply required rest.

However Timberwolf will remain at the hospital for a month to take a course of antibiotics after testing positive to chlamydia.

Dr Lacasse said they would have to do some detective work to find out exactly where Timberwolf had been hit, in order to release him back into familiar territory.

But he said ultimately the family in the car had done the right thing.

“We’re very thankful that the family called the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, where we are open 24/7 and can give him the treatment that he needs,” he said.

“It is a truly remarkable story. He is a very lucky koala.”