The bacterium Chlamydia is spread in koala populations mainly through reproduction and social behavior. However, it is sometimes seen in baby koalas that it is passed directly from their mothers. This type of bacteria; In koalas, it can cause disruption of the reproductive system, blindness that can result in death, and painful cysts. Antibiotics used in the treatment of the disease can destroy the sensitive intestinal flora that koalas consume from eucalyptus leaves, which is the main food, so they can cause them to starve even after treatment.
According to the University of Sydney, infection rates in koala populations in some areas can reach up to 100%, rendering them completely sterile. Experts stated that this situation, which is common in Gunnedah, is also very effective among koala populations in Australia. Experts emphasized that increasing rates of forest fires and deforestation in recent years also threaten the lives of populations that are vulnerable to habitat loss.
Bacteria is spreading fast
A study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology in March 2018 highlights the bacterium’s deadly potential. As part of the research, it turned out that of the 291 koalas studied over four years, 18% died from chlamydia or related complications. This disease was the highest cause of death for koalas after animal attacks. Chlamydia is spreading rapidly among koalas, and climate change is accelerating this process. The climate crisis’s koalas in the region; It has been observed that it makes it more vulnerable to drought and heat waves and more susceptible to disease. The Australian government report stated that chlamydia spreads faster among their populations when koalas are exposed to extremely stressful environmental conditions.
According to Professor Mark Krockenberger, there was a 10% spread of the koala population in Gunnedah, a rural town in New South Wales. By 2015, this rate had increased to 60%. Research in 2021 showed that about 85% of this koala population is infected with the bacteria. The professor stated that given the rate of spread of the bacterium, this population can no longer survive. The population will disappear in the coming years, as individuals infected with chlamydia cannot reproduce even if they do not die.
Scientists are working on a vaccine against chlamydia to protect koalas whose lives are in danger. “If we do not get results from these vaccine studies, we face a very high risk, mass extinctions may occur,” said Krockenberger.
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