Save the Koala Month Marked by Major Koala Milestone

The completion involved the removal of specialist radio collars and back mounts and rigorous health checks revealed two new adorable joeys into our Koala population.

Happy Koala Month!

Every year September is dedicated to raising awareness about our most well recognised and loved species, the endangered Koala. And conservation organisation Aussie Ark is celebrating in style, by officially announcing the successful completion of phase one of three phases of its nationally recognised Koala Capture & Care pilot program.

For the past two years, Aussie Ark has been intensively surveying and treating the Koala population that naturally occurs in its feral-proof 400-hectare Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. Engaging the services of Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) and Ecosure, Aussie Ark firstly located and secured the eight founding adults and tested them for chlamydia. This highly infectious disease is decimating wild Koala populations nationwide, causing blindness, infertility and death. Of the eight Koalas tested, five were chlamydia-positive and were sent off site to Koala hospitals for care including surgery. Once chlamydia-free they were returned to the Ark, fitted with biotelemetry radio collars and VHF back-mounts, and re-released into the Sanctuary for ongoing monitoring and follow-up vet checks.

In May last year Aussie Ark made history by announcing its cohort chlamydia-free, making its Koalas some of the most genetically valuable in Australia. Soon afterwards the organisation celebrated the birth of Jarrah; the first joey born into the chlamydia-free Koala family. This marked ‘job done’ for phase one of the pilot program, and there is no longer the need for such intensive surveillance and intervention.

In a huge milestone moment for the organisation, its breakthrough program, and the species itself, Aussie Ark has secured the Koalas for perhaps the last time…to remove the collars and back-mounts. This was done under light sedation, and involved a final rigorous health check including blood and urine and bone marrow samples, eyes’ and teeth checks, and ultrasound for the females.

This was done under the direction of EVE vet Julien Grosmaire and directed by Aussie Ark Co-CEO Hayley Shute. Ms Shute has hand-raised dozens of baby Koalas so was thrilled to have this up-close-and-personal opportunity, which included meeting two new tiny joeys born to matriarch Banksia and her now adult daughter Gymea.

“My favourite moment was health-checking Gymea,” Ms Shute said. “She was sedated but her little joey Wattle wasn’t. Wattle stayed calm, holding on to mum, as we did the check. She wasn’t afraid at all…in fact she was very curious! It was super cute to see.”

One by one the Koalas were then revived and returned to the trees where they were first located. Ms Shute conducted Gymea’s release, Wattle holding tight to mum’s back.

“It was bitter-sweet,” Ms Shute said. “Now that we’ve removed the tracking devices there’s no guarantee if I’ll see them again. But I’m thrilled with this result, and the very positive and healthy future that’s promised for our Koalas.”

This future involves two more complex and exciting steps for Aussie Ark’s Koala breeding and rewilding program. Phase two will involve securing, treating and introducing new wild-sourced Koalas into the Sanctuary to bolster genetics. And phase three aims to trial chlamydia vaccinations and ‘beyond the fence’ releases.

Please help Aussie Ark continue its vital work expanding its nation-leading Koala Capture & Care program to help save this iconic species from extinction by donating now at aussieark.org.au