Cassidy the Koala is having a baby boy!

This is incredible news because Cassidy is part of our Koala Chlamydia Vaccine Research Program and is the first Koala in the program to present with a joey. Upon initial assessment, the male joey inside Cassidy’s pouch is six months old and weighs around 250g.

The physical characteristics of the joey at this early stage include short fur, open eyes, and dark pigmentation on the nose. We’re so proud of Cassidy’s progress especially because she was three-and-a-half kilograms upon her first admission into Currumbin Wildlife Hospital and now she is six-and-a-half kilograms.

Cassidy is one of 18 Koalas that are currently part of this program, an initiative to save the Koala species. In Queensland, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, Koalas are listed as endangered with chlamydial disease one of the key threatening processes. The objective of this program is to capture and vaccinate 10% of the sub-adult Koalas per year from the local Elanora population and monitor that population and level of chlamydia over five years.

After vaccination, the Koalas are released back into the diseased population with a GPS collar to be tracked and tested 6-12 months later to check if they are chlamydia-free.  We are proud to announce that the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital team have already vaccinated over 160 Koalas, a major milestone for this species.

This program is vital in saving the Koala species and will alleviate suffering in the wild.  It’s important to note the severity of this disease.  Chlamydia can cause blindness, infection, and infertility. The signs of chlamydia include conjunctivitis eyes and/or a wet bottom. It’s time to make a serious change for this iconic species.

You can save Koalas today by heading to our website: currumbinwildlifehospital.org.au