Rockhampton Zoo’s resident koala, Shaun, has died at the age of nine following complications from a prostate infection.
Zoo Director Ms Liz Bellward said Shaun had been a valued part of the zoo for seven years, arriving in May 2018 as a rescue.
“He was found on someone’s verandah in the Gold Coast hinterland when he was only six months old, and we believe he may have been separated from his mother due to his vision impairment,” said Ms Bellward.
“He was tested and found to have chlamydia, a major threat to the species survival, so he was part of the first ever chlamydia trial to help wild and captive koalas with this terrible disease.
“Shaun played an important role in conservation, with researchers from CQUniversity and Australian National University testing his scat as part of their research to detect cortisol metabolites, diseases and other physiological traits.”
Through money raised from donations and animal encounters, Rockhampton Zoo also contributed $8,819 to Koala Research CQ in 2022 to support their important research on local koala populations in Central Queensland.
“His involvement helped pave the way for a healthier future for wild koalas,” said Ms Bellward.
Rockhampton Zoo will continue its work to secure additional koalas for the zoo as opportunities arise in the future.
