Conservation organisation Aussie Ark, established in 2011 as “Devil Ark,” began with a mission to save the iconic Tasmanian devil from extinction. Over time, its vision has expanded to creating a secure future for Australia’s threatened species. Aussie Ark protects native wildlife through wild sanctuaries like their Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary, which is free from predation.
As part of a new initiative, Aussie Ark sought to safeguard its koala population at Barrington Tops after a preliminary study revealed the presence of chlamydial disease—a significant threat to koala populations. This disease causes infertility, blindness, severe urinary tract infections, and death if untreated. In areas with high infection rates, it can decimate local populations, underscoring the urgent need for proactive health interventions.
Collaborative Koala Mission
A partnership between Ecosure, Aussie Ark, and Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) brought together a team of experts in koala detection, wildlife health, and koala capture to establish a chlamydia-free insurance population at Barrington Tops.
EVE’s five-strong team from Queensland encompassed a veterinarian and vet nurse, field staff, and drone specialist leveraging their extensive experience—having managed over 1,500 koalas, undertaken more than 11,000 veterinary health exams, and recorded over 118,000 in-field monitoring events across various populations. Their niche expertise in chlamydial disease management was critical to the success of this project.
One Week, Eight Koalas
Over seven days, the team worked around the clock to survey the 400-hectare sanctuary and detected eight koalas. At night, thermal-sensing drones led by EVE’s koala drone detection expert Matt Harvey located koalas via heat signatures. By day, specialist tree-climbing koala catchers used GPS data to safely capture each koala for health checks.
EVE’s koala veterinarian, Dr Julien Grosmaire, conducted comprehensive health assessments, including physical exams, ultrasounds, blood and urine tests, and abdominal fluid collection.
“We do a really comprehensive examination of the koalas,” said Dr Grosmaire. “Under anaesthetic, we examine their kidneys, bladder, reproductive system, and overall health to identify and manage disease to ensure each koalas wellbeing.”
Hospitalisation for the Sickest Koalas
Of the eight koalas examined, five tested positive for chlamydia. Healthy individuals, including a mother and joey, were released back into the sanctuary immediately. The infected koalas were transported to specialist koala hospitals for treatment, including two females sent to EVE’s intensive care facility in Toorbul, Queensland.
Now named Grevillea and Flora, these koalas were severely impacted by the disease, suffering from cysts causing infertility. The EVE veterinary team, leaders in managing these complex cases, performed surgery to remove the cysts to alleviate pain and prevent further disease spread. After a month in care, they will be returned to the sanctuary with EVE’s K-Tracker biotelemetry tags for ongoing monitoring and intervention- a customised and advanced monitoring system designed specifically for koalas.
The project also aims to investigate unique research questions about semi-wild koala populations, including disease management, genetic diversity, and carrying capacity within secured sanctuaries.
Unique Challenges and Collaborations
For Matt Harvey, supervising EVE’s drone survey and capture program brought unique challenges and surprises. “It’s exciting to work with southern koalas, which are remarkably larger than their northern counterparts,” he noted. “Handling females up to 8.5kg and males close to 10kg was a novel experience for our team.”
EVE’s Research Manager, Dr Deidre de Villiers, highlighted the significance of this collaboration.
“It was wonderful to showcase EVE’s expertise with koala population management on this collaborative Aussie Ark and Ecosure project. This project showcased what can be achieved for threatened species when a high level of expertise comes together for a common goal. The many unknowns—population size, disease prevalence, and environmental challenges—required adaptability and experience. Our team’s ability to assess, strategise, and deliver within a week reflects the depth of EVE’s expertise in koala health and population management. We are incredibly proud of our team and hope to see the viability of this population improve over time”.
For more information about this project, view Aussie Ark’s video explainer about the koala health program at Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary here: