Koala Euthanasia More Common Than Treatment and Release on East Coast
Koalas admitted to veterinary hospitals on the Australian east coast are at a high risk of euthanasia, according to recent research.
An author of the study, Renae Charalambous, said that just 25 percent of koalas rescued and admitted to hospitals went on to be released into an appropriate habitat.
The study revealed that female koalas, adult koalas, and those with chlamydia were at a higher risk of being euthanised.
Their endangered status followed rampant bushfires in 2019 and 2020 that killed an estimated 6,400 koalas in New South Wales (NSW) alone.
The study found that only around 20 percent of admitted koalas had been struck by a car, but koalas in this situation were four times more likely to be found dead than to receive vet treatment and release.
"Those that made it to an animal hospital after car strike were almost three times more likely to be euthanised than released," Charalambous said.
Dog attacks caused only 7 percent of koala admissions, but koalas who suffered dog attacks were twice as likely to be found dead and, if taken into care alive, twice as likely to be euthanised than released.
"These are pretty grim statistics so the future for koalas looks bleak," she said.
However, Charalambous also said it is not too late to restore the healthy koala populations in the region, stating that this is a great opportunity to address and minimise threats.
