Koala admissions to a wildlife hospital in coastal New South Wales, Australia, over a nine-year period, 2014–2022

Kate J. Dutton-Regester

doi:10.1071/ZO23023

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Next Contents Vol 71(6)

Koala admissions to a wildlife hospital in coastal New South Wales, Australia, over a nine-year period, 2014–2022

Kate J. Dutton-Regester

^A ^*

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: k.duttonregester@uq.edu.au

Handling Editor: Paul Cooper

Australian Journal of Zoology 71, ZO23023 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO23023

Submitted: 28 June 2023 Accepted: 3 April 2024 Published: 23 April 2024

© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) population in Australia has been subjected to numerous threats leading to a significant decline in their numbers. The Port Macquarie region serves as a vital habitat for these iconic marsupials. Analysing records of 1227 koalas admitted to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital (2014–2022), this study aimed to understand admission causes, temporal trends, and risk factors. Anthropogenic activities accounted for almost half (49.7%) of all admissions with ‘dangerous area’ and ‘motor vehicle accident’ (MVA) being common aetiologies. Young koalas were more susceptible to ‘dangerous area’, ‘MVA’, and ‘dog attack’ than other age groups. Koalas admitted for suspected chlamydia were also a significant contributing factor for admissions, and was most common in young koalas. Overall, the majority of koalas were candidates for rehabilitation or release (54.3%), but mature and aged koalas had the highest odds for mortality. This study highlights the ongoing impact of anthropogenic activities on koalas, emphasises the need for public education and reporting to mitigate risks, and underscores the importance of addressing diseases like chlamydia. These results contribute to our understanding of the factors influencing koala hospital admissions and can inform conservation and management strategies for this iconic Australian species.

Keywords: anthropogenic activity, chlamydia, conservation, hospital admission, koala, mortality, New South Wales, Phascolarctos cinereus.

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