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Conservation organisation Aussie Ark has welcomed the return of its precious Koalas and released them into the ‘wild’ of the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary.

This is the next major step in Aussie Ark’s mission to secure one of the nation’s only chlamydia-free Koala populations.

Eight Koalas naturally occur in the 400-hectare feral-proof Sanctuary. Late last year Aussie Ark engaged a specialist Koala capture and care team (Ecosure & Endeavour Veterinary Ecology/EVE) to catch these animals to undergo a rigorous vet check.

Four females – Flora, Grevillea, Banksia & her joey Gymea – and four males – Gerbert, Manna, Blue and Scribbs – were examined from head to foot, including blood and urine and ultrasound testing. The main focus of the vet check was testing for chlamydia. This highly infectious disease is the ‘silent killer’ of Australia’s wild Koalas. If left untreated it causes blindness, infertility, even death.

Of the eight Koalas, three were chlamydia-negative and released straight back into the Sanctuary. Those lucky ones were Banksia & joey Gymea and subadult male Scribbs.

The other five were sadly chlamydia-positive. The disease had already rendered the two females infertile. They were transferred into Koala hospitals for surgery to remove painful cysts in their ovaries and uterus, and given weeks of care and love. The males were also treated, involving antibiotics.

Aussie Ark is now delighted to announce the five Koalas are chlamydia-free and pain-free, and have been triumphantly returned to the Ark! One by one they were released into the same tree where they were originally captured, each fitted with a specialist radio collar for ongoing tracking and monitoring.

Managing Director Tim Faulkner said shared “it was very special welcoming them home. Watching our chlamydia-free Koalas return to the Barrington Tops bushland was so memorable. We have literally saved each of these animals from a painful, perhaps deadly, future.”

But Mr Faulkner added “it’s not mission accomplished…yet. The most decisive step revealing the success or otherwise of Aussie Ark’s mission still lies ahead. In approximately two months' time the Aussie Ark team – rejoined by Ecosure and EVE – need to recapture and retest every Koala to affirm they are still chlamydia-free and thriving.

“If we have in fact achieved that, this group will become one of the nation’s only chlamydia-free wild populations of Koalas, making them incredible valuable,” Faulkner said. “And our capture and care project will become a blueprint for Koala management nationwide. So stay tuned for that decisive day ahead of us…Koala D-Day!”

If you’d like to help Aussie Ark help save Australia’s most iconic species, the Koala, please sponsor a Koala and donate now at aussieark.org.au/koala-sanctuary

Image top. Koala Banksia after Ark vet check Credit: Aussie Ark; Koala Blue back at Ark post treatment Credit :Aussie Ark. 

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