Three leading koala hospitals in NSW have announced the formation of an alliance to achieve better conservation and wildlife rehabilitation outcomes for the species.
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The NSW Koala Hospital Alliance (NKHA) hopes to improve collaboration, joint initiatives, and communication.
The NKHA is established by Koala Conservation Australia Limited (KCA) Port Macquarie, Friends of the Koala Inc (FOK) Lismore, and Port Stephens Koala Hospital (PSKH).
The official alliance was forged at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on May 3.
Chairperson of Koala Conservation Australia and inaugural Alliance Convenor, Sue Ashton, said we are at a "critical point" for the survival of wild koalas.
"Their numbers continue to decline due to habitat loss, disease, road strikes and dog attacks," she said.
"The Black Summer Bushfires have now pushed this already threatened species to the brink of extinction."
By combining resources, the alliance brings together over 700 wildlife carers and 40 koala clinicians to provide clinical and habitat conservation expertise.
"We're going to share data, science, research, and critical practices to improve koala conservation," Ms Ashton said.
The NKHA aims to:
- Develop strategies and develop policies advocating for the protection of koalas in the wild to prevent their extinction.
- Exchange information and resources to assist licensed rehabilitators and members of the public in the care of ill, injured, and orphaned koalas.
- Improve best practices for rescuing and rehabilitating koalas within the wildlife sector.
- Engage in selected research and education projects supporting the conservation of koalas.
- Foster camaraderie across the sector through mentorship and leadership training and mental health well-being programs for carers.
President of Friends of the Koala, Aliison Kelly, said the organisation has made history in becoming the only koala hospital in the state to receive a license to vaccinate all koalas coming through the hospital against chlamydia.
"Chlamydia is the number one cause of death for koalas in NSW," she said. "This monumental milestone took over a decade of tireless work, research, and dedication to achieve, and stands to dramatically benefit the koala populations in our region.
"[This alliance] will allow us to find ways to support each other and is a great way for us to work together."
President Port Stephens Koalas, Ron Land, said their hospital is currently undergoing a $2 million upgrade.
"The new facilities will include enhanced diagnostic capabilities with the introduction of a 132 slice CT, additional theatre capacity, a cutting-edge research laboratory, aimed at conducting innovative research around koala reproductive technology, koala retrovirus testing, and koala gut microbiome analysis," he said.
"This is a truly exciting opportunity and it's a big job ahead of us."
In addition to running the state's largest koala hospitals, the three alliance members are engaged in science-based research targeting known diseases, and separately, the impact of climate change on koala populations.
Treating close to 600 wild koalas every year, alliance members provide care to injured, sick and orphaned wild koalas from across NSW.
The alliance will work closely with local indigenous groups, drawing on Aboriginal ecological knowledge and environmental management to enhance koala conservation through the protection and rehabilitation of wildlife habitat.
