Katelyn Ward

CAUSES OF MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY OF WILD KOALAS, PHASCOLARCTOS

CINEREUS (GOLDFUSS), IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

Many students were concerned about the survival of the koala marsupial, as koalas are

slowly becoming a rare species. In 1934, scientific authors Mackenzie and Pratt, reported many

diseases as a potential threat to the koala species. These diseases included conjunctivitis, a

disease of the eyes, pulmonary disorders, which are issues with the lungs, reproductive issues in

females, decreasing the chance of producing offspring, and many more. Studies conducted

displayed that both captive koalas, and wild koalas were exposed to these diseases and disorders.

Many of the diseases were restricted to the Victoria, Sydney, and Queensland, Australia area.

Researchers conducted studies to discover why such things happened to the koalas, and why the

disease occurred in these areas.

Many lab tests and examinations were done to exam the koalas and the diseases they

carried. Necropsy examinations were done, with tissues from the koalas being fixed in formol-

saline solution. Sterile swab and pipette samples were taken from female koalas urinary tract

were taking to exam the disease found in them. Urine samples were taken to look from blood,

ketone bodies, urine PH level, and more. Hematology and serology tests were performed by

blood samples being taken from both wild and healthy koalas and were compared, to find the

similarities and the differences in the lifestyle of the koalas. The cell counts within the blood

samples were then calculated and analyzed within parameters of each area and different genders
of the koalas. Serum samples were tested for chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease that can

affect reproduction and offspring, by using agents that can detect that type of antibody.

Results came in showing that there was a common trend for the disease in these koalas. Mild

anemia was found in koalas of a certain area, potentially due to the lack of nutrients and food for

the koalas to eat. The most common results of death displayed to be traumatic injury, such as

road accidents or fighting between other koalas. Lacerations on the eyes, face, or neck were

thought to be gun shot wounds, or fighting. Some koalas displayed signs of koala stress

syndrome, if the koala had no sign of trauma, death was presumed to have been induced by

depression, anorexia, etc. A lot more results for female tract infections and genital tract

pathology among female koalas that drank large quantities of water.

The results from these tests indicated many different conclusions about each area. In most

areas studied, the results indicated that a large amount of koala mortality resulted from motor

vehicle accidents. Other trauma may be the result from hierarchy conflicts and aggression,

especially during breeding season. Many diseases were found to be a cause of mortality among

the koalas among certain populations, but not among all populations. Many koalas were treated

and released back into their natural habitat. Management in koala population is a possibility to

help the species survive. Through organizations, there are resources available that can be used to

help the koala species. Koalas are a very beautiful species, and it would be very sad to see them

become extinct.