Meet Jarrah, Our Newest Koala Joey

A health check and gender reveal confirmed that Jarrah is a healthy, male koala joey!

Conservation organisation Aussie Ark is thrilled to meet its newest Koala joey, with recent health and gender checks confirming the latest addition to its renowned chlamydia-free Koala population is a healthy young male.

Mother Banksia is one of eight founding members of a cohort of wild Koalas naturally occurring in the 400-hectare feral-proof Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. The Aussie Ark team first encountered the mother, Banksia, last year during its inaugural Koala Capture and Care operation, where all eight Koalas were trapped, health checked and treated for chlamydia if required.

At the time, Banksia had another joey Grevillea on her back, and both were chlamydia-free. Grevillea is now fully independent, and six months ago Aussie Ark team was delighted to announce Banksia had birthed a second joey. The team monitored mother and joey closely, thanks to Banksia’s radio tracking collar. The pair were elusive and only seen at a distance, foraging high in the eucalypt forest.

This spring, Aussie Ark conducted its annual Koala health check with special focus on Banksia’s joey and gaining necessary data. Deploying a specialised Koala trap, Aussie Ark Operations Manager Dean Reid secured the mother/joey pair and transferred them into the AGL Vet Block on site. As a self-confessed ‘Koala Lover’ Mr Reid was delighted to finally see the joey up close, identify it is a male, and officially name him.

“It’s great to confirm Jarrah the joey is in great health; Banksia is doing a wonderful job!” Mr Reid said. “It’s in stark contrast with the situation of wild Koalas outside of our sanctuary, where habitat loss and disease are pushing them to extinction. Our pilot program of ridding Koalas of chlamydia is an inspiration nation-wide. And Jarrah is a symbol of hope!”

Chlamydia is decimating wild Koala populations throughout Australia. Left untreated it causes blindness, infertility and even death. Through its Koala Capture and Care operation Aussie Ark has eliminated chlamydia from its Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary, securing one of Australia’s most viable and valuable Koala families. Jarrah is the lucky ‘next generation’ of this celebrated project, and his future is bright.