Koala ConservationAustralia
Top reasons for koala admittance
Koala Conservation
A Threatened Icon
Famous for their adorable teddy bear appearance and tendency to snooze all day, the koala is internationally recognised and loved. But their numbers are under threat across Australia, they have been labelled "functionally extinct".
No Home, No Koala
Urbanisation of once wild bushland areas threatens the wild koala populations. Koalas rely on eucalyptus trees for food, shelter and safety against predators. Since European settlement, Australia has lost a staggering 80% of koala habitat to deforestation. As their trees disappear, so do the koalas.
New Threats
Our increasingly man-made world introduces new threats for koalas. As housing estates and busy roads encroach into koala habitat, they’re left vulnerable to road accidents, dog attacks and an imminent spread of life-threatening diseases such as chlamydia. Today, koala numbers are at an all-time low.
Make a generous gift of $5,000 to cover the cost of orthopaedic surgery to repair a koala’s broken limb after a road accident.
A Hopeful Future
The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital is providing koalas with a lifeline. Each year, we provide treatment for up to 800 sick and injured koalas, making it Australia’s busiest koala hospital. Here, specialist wildlife veterinarians and nurses at the forefront of koala conservation; working around the clock to mend broken bones, treat diseases, care for orphans, and give wild koalas a second chance.
Give $10 and help feed an orphaned koala joey for one day. Feeding pack includes bottle, teat and syringe.
A Deadly Disease
A major threat to koalas is a debilitating bacterial infection: chlamydia. The sexually transmitted disease frequently leads to blindness, severe bladder inflammation, infertility and death. More than 50% of the koalas admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital are infected with disease and in desperate need of treatment.
Donate $100 to provide fluids and pain relief to a critical koala patient in the Intensive Care Unit for 24 hours.
Science to the Rescue
With our support, researchers and wildlife veterinarians are working to rid koalas of disease. Through developing advanced diagnostics, treatment strategies and long-term solutions, experts are determined to help koala populations thrive once more. To give youngsters a fighting chance, in 2018 hand-raised orphans at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital are given a chlamydia vaccine before release, to give them the best chance at a long and healthy life, and save koalas forever.
