Save Our Koalas

Our local koalas in the area of Koonoomoo and Cobram are dying rapidly of sarcoptic mange – with over 80+ confirmed cases just through Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter, in the last year alone!

This project aims to unite and actively engage our community and its members in Koala Conservation.

The Save Our Koala's Project will seek to reduce all threats to our local koala population. However, the primary focus will be on the relatively new threat of sarcoptic mange (‘scabies’). We have seen an increase in the number of koalas suffering and dying from scabies since 2009. In the last 12 months we have responded to 89 cases of koalas with scabies – all of which have been fatal.  The condition appears to be spreading geographically – and has now spread along the Murray River upstream from Ulupna Island to Big Toms Beach near Cobram.  At this stage we have no effective treatment for the stage of the condition we are seeing. Euthanasia is the most common and humane outcome. We believe scabies is a major koala welfare issue. We fear we are going to lose our koala population and that scabies may spread further.
 
Through this project we hope to eradicate scabies & Save Our Koala's!

We hope to be able to fund the development of a research project into our koalas and the threats to them such as scabies.

 We are aiming to raise enough money to build a mobile education display trailer, construct a koala rescue trailer, a treatment centre and    quarantine enclosure to help in the treatment, rehabilitation and            release of our sick and injured koalas.

We will be running education and information sessions at local schools,  community groups, markets and events and we will be hosting a number of Community Koala Count events to collect data on the current koalas.

We are also gaining support from other organisations such Universities, Rotary clubs and other Wildlife organisations.

Any donation no matter how large or small will be much appreciated and go directly towards helping to save our beautiful koalas.

For more information on this project and to see regular updates please like us on Facebook at Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter.