Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Celebrates Vaccination Milestone on Save the Koala Day

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is working on the vaccine program with the Queensland University of Technology. Since 2020, Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has led the way in ensuring wild Koala populations are protected against the devastating disease.

The goal is to vaccinate every Koala that is admitted to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital for treatment, rehabilitation, and release. It’s hoped this will provide the wild population with lifelong protection against the deadly illness and allow them to produce healthy joeys.

“Without preventative measures, Koalas are on track to become extinct in large areas of Eastern Australia,” said Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Senior Veterinarian Dr Michael Pyne. “If this vaccine is effective, then we have hope to prevent Koalas getting sick in the first place.”

60% of Koalas admitted to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital are suffering from chlamydia. It’s believed that even more of the wild population goes untreated. However, disease isn’t the only threat to the wild population. Koalas are in serious decline due to habitat destruction, domestic animal attacks, bushfires, and road accidents.

“When I first started working at the hospital 20 years ago, it was unusual to see a Koala admitted. We probably only saw about two or three per year,” said Dr Pyne. “Fast-forward 20 years and we are admitting up to 500 Koalas annually. It’s heartbreaking to see the problems our koalas are facing and the level of disease amongst the population.”

The chlamydia vaccine research program is still in its early stages, and community support is essential to push forward with this critical work. Each Koala suffering from disease costs an average of $7,000 to treat.

Celebrate Save the Koala Day by donating to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital online. Visit https://currumbinsanctuary.com.au/wildlife-hospital/donate