Koalas are being vaccinated but not against COVID-19.
The trial of a chlamydia-vaccination will involve about 400 koalas. Research suggests that it is a serious problem for koalas in Australia, with about half of Australia’s population affected.
“So is it a game-changer,”Peter Timms of the University of the Sunshine Coast stated. “I think it’ll make a significant difference, given that we haven’t had this management tool before.”
A 2016 study revealed that only 330,000 koalas remain wild. It is estimated that wildfires have caused the deaths or injuries of around 60,000 animals in the wild over the past three decades.
Researchers say that there’s not much being done to prevent koala disease. Because antibiotics don’t work, the koalas need to be kept in the wild while being treated. The medication also kills bacteria that is necessary to digest the eucalyptus leaf.
This study will provide the opportunity for koalas to get their vaccinations and microchips before they are released into the wild. It is hoped that this will end this pandemic.