Endangered koalas at Symbio Wildlife Park will get more for their bellies from today when kids from St John Bosco Primary School and local scouts joined Sutherland Shire Council (SCC) Mayor, Councillor Lorraine Kelly and ANSTO staff in a tree ceremony to mark the future plantation of Eucalyptus trees to help increase feed stocks.
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| Koalas are important for the Australian environment and heritage so it’s very important that these types of breeding programs are supported. |
This all took place at the ANSTO café under the watchful eye of one of the cute Australian icons that was more than popular with the children and staff. Unfortunately, due to wet weather the intended tree planting could not take place but ANSTO staff will plant them later in the week.
Symbio Wildlife Park need the Eucalyptus trees, donated by SSC, to establish a viable local plantation to feed koalas in their captive breeding program, which introduces sustainable genetics into the species and is helping to save the bears. In addition, planting more trees always benefits the planet’s atmosphere and ultimately the environment.
Park Manager Matt Radnidge said that koalas are fussy eaters and won’t feed on any old gum tree.
“Koala’s like to eat only certain species of gum, which can be hard to find in the wild. Each koala will get through one kilogram of leaves or a branch, a day which amounts to 1,000 trees in their lifetime,” he said.
“That’s a lot of branches we need to find each week so we asked ANSTO to help supply more branches.”
“The new trees will add to a number of gum trees already grown at ANSTO for Symbio’s koala food, so these new trees will give us a greater resource.”
“The first trees planted at ANSTO were originally for Taronga Zoo but when Symbio lost its entire plantation in the Black Christmas 2001 bushfires. Taronga then offered us their trees but now we need more. Many years on and with a growing koala population Symbio needs a greater supply so is really grateful to ANSTO and the Sutherland Shire Council for their help,” he said.
Symbio has a widely respected koala breeding program in place which regularly introduces new bloodlines to maintain genetic diversity at other zoos.
“In the last 85 years, 99 per cent of the wild population of koalas has been lost and the only way they will continue to survive is through captive breeding programs like ours,” Matt said.
Symbio has nine koalas at their Zoo, three of which are brand new babies, evidence their breeding program is working.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Ron Cameron said ANSTO was more than happy to help its furry friends.
“Koalas are important for the Australian environment and heritage so it’s very important that these types of breeding programs are supported. We are more than happy to help out by offering the space to grow the trees,” he said.
Published: 29/10/2008