Conservation scientist Dr Ryan Witt said the proposals were a cost-effective way to prevent inbreeding, and therefore help preserve the genetic diversity of koalas beyond small colonies of captive animals:
“Currently… we have no insurance policy against natural disasters like the 2019-2020 bushfires that threaten to wipe out large numbers of animals at the one time,” he said.
“If the koala population dies in these kind of fire events, there is no way to bring them back or preserve their genetics.”
Live koala young have been born following assisted reproduction using fresh or chilled sperm, the researchers say.
READ ALSO: New UK economic aid plan to give Wales £600m over three years Published 14 minutes ago
“By using frozen sperm, we can reintroduce genetic variation into wild koala populations without having to relocate koalas,” said Dr Lachlan Howell, also of the University of Newcastle.
“We’ve identified 16 wildlife hospitals and zoos across Australia that could act as nodes to collect koala sperm,” he added.
Watch Leakblast TV channel from around the world
Thanks for Reading via the most updated News portal
Call Us: +234(0)8080859239
Get us on Whatsapp: +234(0)8181166425
SUPPORT LEAKBLAST JOURNALISM OF INTEGRITY AND CREDIBILITY
Good journalism costs a lot of money.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble Endeavor.
By contributing to LeakBlast, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
