Education and Research
Education for the public
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At the Koala Hospital
The public has a chance to connect with koalas and to deepen their understanding of threats to their survival by:
- Wandering through the exhibits
- Observing koalas in real life
- Listening to a wandering guide
- Reading about koalas
- Visiting the Koalaseum
- Observing procedures and/or assessments in the clinic
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Schools and Community
The Koala Hospital team can do presentations for school and community groups on request. The Koala Hospital helps educate people on measures they can take to help reduce threats to koalas. For example, in the past the Koala Hospital, in association with council, carried out a pilot program helping dog owners to train their dogs to avoid koalas.
The Koala Hospital holds an annual koala food tree giveaway in conjunction with Forestry Corporation NSW to encourage people to increase suitable koala habitat and create linkages between these habitat patches.
Training
The Koala Hospital provides training workshops for koala carers, as well as other licensed koala care groups and government agencies.
High-school students with an interest in wildlife, ecology or wild animal husbandry can complete work experience at the Koala Hospital.
Research
Despite its notoriety as an iconic Australian species, there is still a surprising amount we do not know about the koala. More research is required to better understand how we can help conserve wild koalas. We are currently collaborating with universities around the world to learn more about koalas as a species.
The Koala Hospital provides valuable information and resources to assist with research and believes in using an evidence-based approach to clinical treatment and conservation and in expanding our knowledge about koalas through research. Much of this research has been conducted in collaboration with universities For researchers who wish to discuss a collaboration, please contact the Koala Hospital directly to discuss your project with the clinical team.
As a research facility, we collaborate with University of Sydney, Queensland University of Technology, University of the Sunshine Coast, Murdoch University, Federation University, the Australian Museum and numerous government agencies (sitting on advisory panels). We also network with many institutions, zoos, wildlife researchers, wildlife veterinarians and numerous wildlife rehabilitation groups worldwide.
The Hospital is a co-author on academic papers on population genetics, disease, pharmacokinetics, and population dynamics.
The Koala Hospital hosts a three day National Koala Conference with the next one planned for 2022.
The Koala Hospital is a training facility teaching wildlife carers, veterinarians, researchers and zookeepers.
Authored by our Clinical Director, the Koala Hospital’s Rehabilitation Manual is now in its sixth edition and is provided at cost throughout Australia and to zoos in Europe.