The first koala vaccinated against chlamydia has given birth to a joey, bringing hope that the protected animals will help re-populate the vulnerable population.
The vaccine has given hope to zoologists at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland as chlamydia in koalas can lead to blindness, infections and infertility, causing further deaths in the already declining species.
The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is the home of Anne Chovee, the first koala to get the vaccine, and her new joey.
“We had the two-year mark, which is very exciting, most excitingly because she’s got a joey in her pouch now,” research supervisor Lewis McKillop said.
“To get the vaccine registered so that any vet who’s treating koalas can get it and start to use it would be a major step forward.
“Ultimately what we’re trying to achieve is more breeding.”
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More than 250 koalas will benefit from the chlamydia vaccine, with hopes the jab will increase koala populations.
Koalas were listed as endangered in Queensland, NSW and the Australian Capital Territory in February 2022.
There are fewer than than 57,920 koalas left in the wild.
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There is a possibility that the number of koalas left in the wild has declined to 32,065, according to the Australian Koala Foundation.
