Conservation Detector Dog Helps Find Koalas

Meet Moose the Cutest Conservation Detector Dog

This is Moose, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Hospital’s conservation detector dog!

Moose has recently joined the team to help with a wide range of conservation projects and research. He’s being trained to track Koalas in the wild, allowing research teams to find sick and injured Koalas so we can check, treat, and monitor endangered Koala populations.

How Moose Finds Wild Koalas

Last week he was tasked with finding a Currumbin Wildlife Hospital vaccine research Koala named ‘Itty’ who had lost his radio and GPS tracker. The team feared the worst, as they hadn’t seen Itty in weeks. It didn’t take Moose long though, finding fresh scat (Koala poop) beneath a tree that Itty was sitting in.

On the same day Moose also located a sick Koala affected by chlamydia in another tree (pictured below), around 15-20 meters high. The Koala was rescued by Alarna and taken to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital for life-saving Chlamydia treatment.

Making a Difference for Australian Wildlife Conservation

Moose doesn’t even know it, but he’s playing a major role in the health, preservation and protection of local endangered Koalas.

We hope that, given time and dedication, Moose will expand his wildlife detection skills to other threatened and endangered species.

Great work Moose!