Animals in the United States
Grim Statistics On Koala Survival Odds
Records of koala admissions to veterinary hospitals in South East Queensland show euthanasia was the most common outcome, according to University of Queensland research. The research was published in Society and Animals.
Ph.D. Candidate Renae Charalambous and colleagues at UQ's Faculty of Science analyzed the records of more than 50,000 koala sightings and hospital admissions between 1997 and 2019.
"Diseases like chlamydia make up almost 30 percent of vet hospital admissions, followed by a multitude of threats stemming from habitat loss, including dog attack and motor vehicle strike," Ms. Charalambous said.
"Only 25 percent of koalas rescued and admitted to hospital went on to be released into suitable habitat.
"Many of the animals died before arriving at a vet hospital and those that did make it were often euthanized on the grounds of welfare, despite vets and carers doing their best to save them."
Koalas who'd been hit by cars made up nearly 20 percent of overall admissions but were four times more likely to be found dead than treated by a vet and released.
"Those that made it to an animal hospital after car strike were almost three times more likely to be euthanized than released," Ms. Charalambous said.
"Seven percent of the koalas admitted to hospital had been attacked by dogs but were twice as likely to be found dead, and if they were taken into care alive, they were twice as likely to be euthanized than released.
"These are pretty grim statistics, so the future for koalas looks bleak."
The study also found adults, females, and those with chlamydia were at higher risk of being euthanized than released.
In February 2022, the conservation status of the iconic marsupial was changed from vulnerable to endangered in Queensland, after estimates that their numbers had halved over the last decade.
Ms. Charalambous said understanding these distinctive challenges was important to informing future conservation plans for east coast koalas.
"It's not too late to restore the region's healthy koala populations and this is a great opportunity to holistically address and minimize the threats they face," she said.
"I hope this research sheds light on policy gaps so decision makers can target intervention strategies to save the koalas we have left."
Ms. Charalambous acknowledges the valuable contributions of UQ's Dr. Kris Descovich and Dr. Edward Narayan to the research.
More information: Renae Charalambous et al, Identifying Trends in Admission and Release of Wild Koalas in Veterinary Clinics Throughout Queensland, Australia, Society & Animals (2024). DOI: 10.1163/15685306-bja10220
Citation: Grim statistics on koala survival odds (2024, September 10) retrieved 16 September 2024 from https://phys.Org/news/2024-09-grim-statistics-koala-survival-odds.Html
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Baby Koala, Attacked By Dog, Reunites With Mom In Sweet Video
An Australia-based conservation group has shared footage showing a baby koala reuniting with mom after the "joey" was attacked by a dog and rushed to a wildlife hospital for treatment.
"Meet Squeak!" Wildlife Warriors exclaimed via Instagram, showing a closeup of the koala in a keeper's arms. "This adorable little girl was attacked by a dog and her mum had no choice but to save herself. Thankfully, Squeak was raced to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and is in the best hands possible!"
Wildlife Warriors, established Steve and Terri Irwin in 2002, also shared the accompanying footage, which shows the joey, with a bandaged arm, crawling lovingly on mom.
"Good news alert!" the group stated. "Squeak's mum was found, and brought to us at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. This is the adorable moment the two were reunited.
"They'll both stay with us until little Squeak is well enough to be released!
Courtesy of Wildlife Warriors
Some on social media wondered how rescuers were sure they had found the baby koala's actual mom.
Wildlife Warriors explained: "The rescue group was looking for the mother in the area following the dog attack. When they found this female matching the description, and it was confirmed she had an enlarged teat from feeding a joey, we knew it was Squeak's mother!
The Australia Zoo is owned by Terri Irwin and operated by the Irwin family.
Pepe, The Rooster From Lecco, Was Discovered Hanged. He Had Become The Mascot Of A Nursery School, Where The Children Had Adopted Him.
An act of cruelty in Lecco led to the death of Pepe, a rooster much loved by the children of the Origo nursery school in Calco, who was found hanging from a tree. Pepe had become a symbol of educational activities and was cared for by the children of the Koala section. The Merate Animal Protection Agency condemned the incident, expressing sadness and dismay. The teachers reported the incident, claiming that if Pepe had been a nuisance, they could have given him up for adoption, thus saving the children from suffering.
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A despicable act of cruelty occurred in Lecco, where Pepe, a rooster adored by the children of a nursery school, was discovered hanging from a tree inside the school grounds of Origo di Calco. Pepe, who had become a symbol of the children's educational activities and was deeply loved by them, was brutally murdered, as the teachers made public, condemning the vile act.
The children of the Koala section, a group of about twenty children aged between 3 and 5, were the ones who normally looked after Pepe. Even more shocking was the fact that the incident was also condemned by the animal protection agency, Enpa, of Merate (Lecco): "We share the pain of the children and the teachers. We are devastated and sad, unable to understand how someone can do such ferocious and unjust actions, especially when they affect the innocence of the little ones. Innocents like Pepe. The innocent must not be touched".
Pepe was not just a rooster for the school, but a real friend for the children: "In our school there is a chicken coop that the children take care of. After cleaning, they collect what the chickens give them and take it home. Since Pepe arrived, the children said that finally there was a 'father' in the chicken coop".
The teachers at the Origo nursery school were the ones who spread the news, as reported by Fanpage. They sent a letter to the National Animal Protection Agency branch of Merate, a nearby town. "If Pepe was a nuisance, it would have been enough to let them know and we would have given him up for adoption. Probably, whoever did this didn't think about the fact that the children could see him, causing them pain," they stated in the letter.
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