National save the Koala Month
This September - it’s National Koala Month, learn about the plight of koalas and help to make a difference
Little black noses, big fluffy ears and a face to melt your heart – it’s common knowledge across the globe that Australia’s Koalas are one of a kind. Making their homes among our gum trees, these adorable marsupials are a national icon, which is why it’s so worrying they’re classed as ‘vulnerable’ as a result of seriously dwindling populations. At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, we’re a little bit smitten with the loveable Koala, and for the last few decades, we’ve made it our mission to shine a light on the importance of Koala conservation. We’d love for you to join us in celebrating our furry friends this September for National Koala Month, and if you’re keen to play a part, we’ll divulge the details on how you can get involved and make a difference…
Fact-of-the-matter is, Koalas are in trouble. Using trees as both a source of food and a place for shelter, the clearing of native vegetation for development has placed the Koala’s habitat – and survival – under threat. Displaced Koalas are forced to establish new home ranges, leading them to move through urban areas where they may be hit by cars, attacked by dogs or even be cut off from the rest of their family. However, the major cause for concern we’re seeing here at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is the rise of disease – with 80% of Koala patients admitted to our hospital suffering from dangerous illnesses like Koala chlamydia and Koala retrovirus…a worrying statistic.
What We Do (In A Nutshell…)
Here at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, we’re determined to do as much as we can to ensure the survival of our local Koalas through our conservation and research projects. Since opening in 1989 the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital has seen to the health and happiness of many animals including Koalas, however, the statistics are worrying.
Last year the Hospital admitted over 600 Koalas, however in 2008, they admitted only 28!
The Hospital is collaborating with a wide range of universities and state and local governments to investigate and help find cures or at the very least preventative measures for the diseases affecting the Koala population.
How You Can Give Us a Helping Hand
We know, right? These darling marsupials are just so lovable, so if you want to help out our furry friends this National Koala Month, here’s how you can…
2. Tree To Me – Did you know that it takes 1,000 gum trees to feed just one Koala for one year! Support our Tree To Me program and help us continue to plant eucalypt trees in our Plantations.
3. Help Our Hospital – Share the love around and help the incredible work our Wildlife Hospital achieves for Koalas (and a number of other Aussie animals!) with a generous donation. You can become a Friend of the Hospital, or add your own personal touch with a Walkways for Wildlife paver.
4. Help Out At Home – Why not make a few changes in your own backyard? Plant some Australian natives and eucalypts in your garden, install a Koala friendly-fence, and be sure to take a little more care on our roads and keep your dog locked up at night…it’s cool to be kind, after all!
5. Donate to our Conservation Programs – Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is passionate about conservation and preserving our wildlife for future generations to enjoy. Sadly there are many native and exotic animals that are threatened. The Sanctuary participates in 16 conservation projects to help save some of these amazing species from extinction including endangered Australian animals.