Aussie Ark aims for chlamydia-free wild Koala population

Conservation organisation Aussie Ark aims to establish a chlamydia-free wild population of Koalas. This infectious disease is having a devastating impact on Koala populations Australia-wide, affecting everything from eyesight to fertility. If left untreated it can be fatal.

Aussie Ark in collaboration with Ecosure and Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) has captured and health checked the eight wild Koalas residing in the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary - the first major step in the conservation organisation’s mission to establish a chlamydia-free wild population of Koalas.

To eradicate this disease in the Sanctuary means safeguarding one of the nation’s most genetically robust populations and creating a blueprint for Koala management nationwide.

Aussie Ark Managing Director Tim Faulkner identifies chlamydia as the Koalas’ “number one enemy” noting “the disease is taking a deadly toll. We need to do this work.”

The Koala rescue team worked for seven days, 24 hours per day. At night, thermal-sensing drones surveyed the entire 400-hectare Sanctuary, finding Koalas via sophisticated heat detection. This operation was directed by EVE’s Matt Harvey – one of Australia’s leading Koala drone detection experts – who has clocked 330 commercial hours specifically locating Koalas using this technology.

Specialist tree-climbing Koala catchers used drone GPS coordinates to locate and secure each animal. One by one the Koalas were brought to the Ark for rigorous health checks by EVE’s dedicated Koala vet Dr Julien Grosmaire. Testing for chlamydia and its symptoms was done in a multitude of ways.

Dr Grosmaire advised “we do a really comprehensive examination of the Koalas. Under anaesthetic we do a physical exam, an ultrasound of their kidneys, bladder and reproductive system, blood tests, urine tests, bone marrow and also take abdominal fluid.”

This hands-on work is very challenging. But sadly this level of intervention and veterinary care is now essential to rid Koalas of chlamydial disease.

Of the eight Koalas brought into care, five tested positive for chlamydia. These were transported to specialist Koala hospitals for treatment including surgery. Once they are chlamydia free, they will return to the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. Meanwhile the other three disease-free Koalas – including a mother and joey - were released straight away, with the two adults fitted with innovative K-tracker biotelemetry collars – a purpose-built Koala GPS tracking system – for ongoing monitoring and intervention.

Aussie Ark Conservation Manager Hayley Shute personally released the joey and described it as a highlight in a long career hand-raising Koalas. For Shute, the mission to establish this chlamydia-free wild Koala population resonates deeply.

Shute noted “there are many future steps for this exciting project. We will need to re-test for chlamydia a couple of times to ensure we’ve treated all of the Koalas, there will be many wonderful releases, further drone ops, academic studies and exciting conservation partnerships. And once we have our disease-free population we can add to it, building up one of Australia’s most genetically robust insurance populations. It’s amazing!”

Ecosure’s General Manager of Wildlife Services Jess Bracks couldn’t agree more enthusing “we’re so thrilled to be part of this amazing project. With all of the threats Koalas face, veterinary intervention like this will become critical to their survival, so that we have healthy, breeding, resilient populations – like Aussie Ark is creating – to secure the future of this Ozzie icon.”

Aussie Ark’s quest is a race against time. Koala populations are declining nationwide, and scientists predict the species could be extinct in the wild as early as 2050. Habitat loss, feral predation and road strike are major impacts. But chlamydia trumps them all.

“When people hear the name ‘Koala’ we think ‘cute’, we think ‘fluffy’, we think ‘teddy bear’,” Faulkner said. “I see different Koalas. I see suffering. I see pain. I see enduring. It’s confronting for anyone to see wildlife suffering. Sick Koalas need to be seen. This is the reality. This is what they face. This is what our work is trying to fix.”

Faulkner shared “the work must be done” as Koalas are “the face of Australia”. But it’s hard and expensive work. It costs over $60,000 per Koala to be part of the program, to undergo treatment and be returned to the Sanctuary chlamydia-free.

So Aussie Ark hopes Australians will help, by donating today at aussieark.org.au

Images from top: Koala in vet care; EVE Cory Cooper; Koala catchers up tree; EVE Ecosure Aussie Ark Koala catching team; EVE Dr Julien Grosmaire; EVE vet Dr Julien Grosmaire with vet nurse Beck Musk and Dean Reid and koala; Koala in treetops Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary.All images courtesy Aussie Ark.