Dept of Climate Change, Energy, Environment & Water
Five new projects have been announced to protect the health of koalas in Australia.
This investment is part of the Australian Government's $76.9 million Saving Koalas Fund to support the recovery and long-term conservation of the koala and its habitats.
The funding will support projects with RSPCA Queensland, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Australia Zoo, University of Sunshine Coast, and the Queensland University of Technology.
The new projects include:
- establishing a new Koala Intensive Care Unit at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- construction of a new state-of-the-art Wildlife Hospital and Centre for Excellence at Capalaba in southeast Queensland
- supporting the development of new koala chlamydia vaccines
- a new infectious disease ward for koalas at Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital
- planting koala food tree orchards for feeding koalas in care
- creating rehabilitation areas so that koalas are release-ready before being returned to the wild
- information and education facilities to boost community awareness
- training internal and external veterinary professionals and wildlife carers in better koala care techniques.
The koala is one of the priority species identified in the Australian Government's Threatened Species Action Plan. Sadly, koalas are currently listed as endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT.
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