Recommendations
There are many exciting possibilities for a reimagined future zoo. Could some reforested
investment, the centre is gaining wider support. Dr Steve Johnston of the Koala Research Centre
koala habitat in and around new town centres be
explains that the centre works as a genome bank – a
populated by koalas bred in zoos? Could a future
vital resource capable of reinvigorating genetically
zoo be one that has people living in and amongst
weak koalas populations. Using traditional captive
wildlife? This could be an exciting new model for
breeding in zoos and assisted breeding techniques
redefined human-koala relationships.
like artificial insemination, it is possible to capture
As koalas are popular attractions at zoos all
the genetic material of threatened populations
around the world, koalas can draw attention to the
so that these genes are not lost and can still be
dire situation faced by their species in their natural
available in the future. To date, the Koala Research
habitats of South East Queensland. International
Centre has already produced 32 koala joeys through
zoos are continuing to request trade koalas from
artificial insemination. Genes can also be captured
Australian zoos to keep their koala gene pools
during the translocation of koalas (see below).
healthy. The notion of revenue generated from
Dr Johnston and his colleagues are also
these koala transfers could be re invested into koala
developing techniques that use frozen koala semen
research and koala habitat conservation in Australia.
to produce offspring. They also plan to genetically
The funds raised by these transfers of captive
recover reproductive tissue from post-mortem
bred koalas to overseas zoos can play a role in
animals that arrive dead in koala hospitals or that
conservation of their wild cousins. Some immediate
have been euthanased because of road accidents
examples of where funds could have impact include
or dog attacks (noting that the dead koalas have
fostering of research , the replanting of koala food
to be screened for diseases such as Chlamydia
trees and the creation of new koala habitats.
before the tissue can be used). Johnston says that in the decade from 1997-2007, 6500 koalas
26. Koala genome banks An important back-up plan for South East Queensland koalas is being put into action by The University of Queensland’s Koala Research Centre who play an active role as a halfway house for koalas. The centre’s hands on management approach aims to assist koalas in habitats with little future. Funded by both university and private
were euthanised in koala hospitals, many of whose sperm could have helped in the genetic exchange programme. While this technology is not necessarily a panacea for all of the koala’s problems, it does give koala managers more options for koala conservation. The potential to do this in zoos and koala hospitals already exists. Genetics are captured and zoos and koala hospitals are becoming genetic reservoirs. This is a careful genetic control safeguard that maximises
48