A crucial funding agreement has been secured to advance the Schrinner Council and The University of Queensland’s Koala Recovery and Resilience Project. This project aims to reinforce koala populations in key Brisbane bushland areas identified by koala experts.
The project will evaluate several locations in Brisbane for the release of healthy koalas to bolster dwindling populations. These efforts are based on the success of Council-funded research at Pooh Corner and Wacol Bushlands reserves, where reintroductions have led to thriving koala populations.
Currently, koalas Sean, Francois, Adam, Matilda, Karri, Lady Jane, Glenda, Chandler, Heaven, Attie, Olive, Oscar, and two unnamed joeys reside in these reserves, demonstrating the project’s positive impact.
Upcoming site inspections by UQ’s Koala Ecology Group will assess habitat quality, health, and the abundance of resident koalas while identifying potential threats. Koalas will be sourced from local wildlife hospitals and areas with abundant populations, focusing on young individuals seeking new habitats. All koalas will undergo veterinary checks before release and will be monitored with tracking devices.
Released koalas will also receive the groundbreaking koala chlamydia vaccine developed by Queensland University of Technology. The Schrinner Council is funding the vaccine’s registration fee, making it accessible to wildlife hospitals and veterinarians across eastern Australia. Tackling chlamydia, detected in around 21% of Brisbane’s koala population, is critical for ensuring a healthy and resilient koala population.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner expressed his enthusiasm, noting that Brisbane is the koala capital of the world, and this partnership with leading universities will help maintain this status. Replicating the success at Pooh Corner in other parts of Brisbane will significantly boost local koala populations in areas identified by experts. The vaccine will be transformative for current koala populations and will have lasting positive effects on managing and treating koala diseases.
Dr Sean FitzGibbon from The University of Queensland highlighted the dual benefits of the project, providing new habitats for young koalas and bolstering populations in release areas. The health of resident koalas at release sites will be assessed, and sick koalas will be treated and vaccinated where possible. This combined approach will lead to increased reproduction and population growth.
Professor Ken Beagley from QUT’s School of Biomedical Sciences emphasised the urgent need for such initiatives, noting the significant decline in koala populations across Queensland. A healthy koala can live for eight to 12 years in the wild, but stressed, geographically isolated populations are vulnerable to chlamydia, which causes severe health issues and can lead to local population extinctions. The vaccine, proven safe and effective, will be a critical tool in reversing this decline once registered and widely available.
For more information on the Koala Recovery and Resilience Project and to support koala conservation efforts, visit the project’s website.
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