Published Friday, 11 May, 2007 at 05:00 AM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
SMART STATE SCIENCE LEADS WAY IN NEW AGE ANIMAL CONSERVATION
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA: Australia’s iconic koala is the first species to benefit from an innovative breeding program that overcomes the tyranny of distance, Queensland Premier and Minister for Trade Peter Beattie has announced.
Speaking at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in South Carolina, Mr Beattie said the new technique successfully chilled koala semen for up to 72 hours so it could be transported around the globe.
“We have successfully bred koalas in Queensland through artificial insemination using chilled semen mixed with a special solution that successfully prolonged its shelf-life,” Mr Beattie said.
“I am now thrilled to announce Riverbanks will work with Queensland to use this innovation in its koala conservation program, with the next breeding cycle to start in about March 2008,” Mr Beattie said.
“This is excellent news for small koala populations overseas because we can get the semen to anywhere in the world within 72 hours.
“The technique gives zoos a new source of genetic material collected either from other zoos or wild populations which is a great leap forward in safeguarding the gene pool of koalas and potentially other species.”
Mr Beattie said the technology allows vital genetic diversity to be restored to overseas captive koala populations, with the specimens first undergoing genetic profiling and testing for disease prior to artificial insemination.
“It should also limit the need to send live koalas around the world in the future, putting an end to the long-distance transport challenges that creates,” Mr Beattie said.
Planning is now underway for the chilled semen program to start at Riverbanks Zoo next year. The precise timing will depend on when Riverbanks’ two female koalas Lottie and Killarney come into oestrous and the required permits for the transport of semen being granted by the Australian and US authorities.
The new technology has been developed as part of the Koala Enhanced Genetic Exchange Program (KEGEP) – a three-year collaboration between The University of Queensland, Riverbanks Zoo, the Queensland Government Environmental Protection Agency and the Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
KEGEP was originally funded by the Queensland Government (AUS$60,000) and Riverbanks Zoo (AUS$50,000) with later funding coming in from a Commonwealth Government Australian Research Council Linkage grant.
The Linkage Grant project was a joint effort between KEGEP and industry partners from the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria - Queensland Branch (ARAZPA-Q) and the Royal Zoological Society of London.
ARAZPA-Q members Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Dreamworld assisted financially and gave access to their facilities and captive koalas for semen sampling.
As part of its Sister-State Relationship with South Carolina, the Queensland Government arranged the first gift of koalas to Riverbanks Zoo in 2002.
“We always intended that our original gift of koalas would be a gift that ‘keeps on giving’ so we wanted to do everything we could to see koalas breeding successfully overseas,” Mr Beattie said.
“This research will ensure that goal is met.”
Mr Beattie said the Smart State scientists had now turned their attention to the application of cryogenics in the project.
Media Contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
10 May 2007
Speaking at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in South Carolina, Mr Beattie said the new technique successfully chilled koala semen for up to 72 hours so it could be transported around the globe.
“We have successfully bred koalas in Queensland through artificial insemination using chilled semen mixed with a special solution that successfully prolonged its shelf-life,” Mr Beattie said.
“I am now thrilled to announce Riverbanks will work with Queensland to use this innovation in its koala conservation program, with the next breeding cycle to start in about March 2008,” Mr Beattie said.
“This is excellent news for small koala populations overseas because we can get the semen to anywhere in the world within 72 hours.
“The technique gives zoos a new source of genetic material collected either from other zoos or wild populations which is a great leap forward in safeguarding the gene pool of koalas and potentially other species.”
Mr Beattie said the technology allows vital genetic diversity to be restored to overseas captive koala populations, with the specimens first undergoing genetic profiling and testing for disease prior to artificial insemination.
“It should also limit the need to send live koalas around the world in the future, putting an end to the long-distance transport challenges that creates,” Mr Beattie said.
Planning is now underway for the chilled semen program to start at Riverbanks Zoo next year. The precise timing will depend on when Riverbanks’ two female koalas Lottie and Killarney come into oestrous and the required permits for the transport of semen being granted by the Australian and US authorities.
The new technology has been developed as part of the Koala Enhanced Genetic Exchange Program (KEGEP) – a three-year collaboration between The University of Queensland, Riverbanks Zoo, the Queensland Government Environmental Protection Agency and the Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
KEGEP was originally funded by the Queensland Government (AUS$60,000) and Riverbanks Zoo (AUS$50,000) with later funding coming in from a Commonwealth Government Australian Research Council Linkage grant.
The Linkage Grant project was a joint effort between KEGEP and industry partners from the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria - Queensland Branch (ARAZPA-Q) and the Royal Zoological Society of London.
ARAZPA-Q members Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Dreamworld assisted financially and gave access to their facilities and captive koalas for semen sampling.
As part of its Sister-State Relationship with South Carolina, the Queensland Government arranged the first gift of koalas to Riverbanks Zoo in 2002.
“We always intended that our original gift of koalas would be a gift that ‘keeps on giving’ so we wanted to do everything we could to see koalas breeding successfully overseas,” Mr Beattie said.
“This research will ensure that goal is met.”
Mr Beattie said the Smart State scientists had now turned their attention to the application of cryogenics in the project.
Media Contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
10 May 2007