A LEADING Queensland microbiologist and expert in koala diseases has praised Redland council for stumping up $30,000 to research the city’s declining koala population.
Sunshine Coast University Professor Peter Timms, who invented a chlamydia vaccine for koalas, will use the funds to head up a team to test the drug on the Redland koala population.
Professor Timms said chlamydia was a major factor in the decline in the Redland koala population, behind loss of habitat, road deaths and dog attacks.
He said chlamydia was at higher levels in Redland koalas than in those from central New South Wales.
“We’ve studied chlamydia for more than 20 years but we’ve never intervened and vaccinated koalas so this is a chance to help sick koalas while we are researching,” he said.
“This does not make up for habitat loss, dog attacks and road deaths but it is a new management tool.
“There’s no doubt that habitat is important but a recent study in the Redlands area showed that attempts to clamp down on dog attacks, road deaths and habitat loss still did not stop the population decline.
“The council has been genuine in its positive action and is showing leadership when it would be so easy to say it’s all too hard,” he said.
The money, from ratepayers’ annual $85 environment levy, will pay for three PhD students to investigate the deadly chlamydia virus and for specially-trained rescue dogs to track koala colonies across the city.
Mayor Karen Williams came up with the funding idea after she met with the state government-funded microbiologist and Dr Seline Frere and Stradbroke Island’s Dr Romane Cristescu last year.
“I thought it was an opportunity to leverage off state funding to Professor Timms to extend his good work on the vaccine, which has only been tested on injured animals, Cr Williams said.
“He’s keen to test on koalas in their natural environment and thought Redlands, with our participation and collaboration, might be a good place to do that.
“It’s also an opportunity, potentially, to have people’s dogs in Redlands trained in dealing with wildlife and avoiding attacks.”
Cr Williams said “the small amount of money” would progress the science, which was the only way to find a solution to the decline in koala populations.
She said she hoped the new Environment Minister would also assist with funding.
Councillor Craig Ogilvie complained the proposal was “hypocritical” as council had failed to adequately protect the declining species.
“This is a tokenistic approach to an issue that deserves better," he said. “It’s hypocritical to propose this 'scientific' approach when only three years ago the mayor was making political mileage out of koala signs that had also been recommended by scientists.
“The cheapest way of helping koalas is to stop green lighting inappropriate development near or on environmentally sensitive areas.”
Cr Williams said there was no scientific research that came out of the flashing LED signs and were ineffective, inefficient, expensive and achieved nothing for the long-term survival of the species.