Research Projects
Research Projects
Currumbin Wildlife Hospital admits almost 14,000 sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife patients each year including almost 400 Koalas.
Our aim is to treat, rehabilitate and release these patients back into the wild but prevention is always better than cure. We collaborate closely with Universities and City of Gold Coast to participate in vital research, which we hope will one day help save endangered Koalas.
Echidna Research
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has been working with The University of Queensland for 24 years to unlock the secrets of Echidna reproduction. The Australian Short-beaked Echidna is one of only three mammals worldwide that lay eggs, making them incredibly unique and until recently very difficult to breed in specialist care.
The many years of investigation have led us to now be able to reliably breed the Short-beaked Echidna through assessment of the individual Echidna fertility, careful attention to diet and husbandry along with close observation of behaviour in the lead up to mating. We have now bred a world record of 28 Short-beaked Echidnas and are looking forward to continue increasing this number.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and The University of Queensland have recently teamed with Melbourne University to collaboratively investigate the unique reproduction and development of the Short-beaked Echidna. The long term goal of this research is to use our knowledge to help save the endangered Long-beaked Echidna of Papua New Guinea.
Koala Research
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has a long proud history of collaborating with universities and contributing to Koala research to solve the challenges facing this iconic species.
Sadly, Koalas in Queensland, New South Wales and ACT are now listed as endangered, where chlamydial disease has become a major factor in contributing to the decline in Koala numbers. Currumbin Wildlife Hospital admits almost 400 wild Koalas every year, 60% of these Koalas are admitted because of chlamydia. Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is collaborating with Queensland University of Technology and The University of Queensland to investigate these diseases to find cures and preventions to save our Koalas.
There is currently a Koala Chlamydial Vaccine Trial that is showing promise to be able to protect Koalas from this devastating disease. We are desperately looking for more funding to help further research into Koala chlamydia and further develop the vaccine.