by Playfuls Staff |
27th September 2006
Australian scientists are reportedly implanting contraceptive devices in koalas living on Kangaroo Island to [more] halt a population explosion.
The approximately 30,000 koalas on the South Australian island are blamed for the decimation of thousands of eucalyptus trees, The Australian reported.
While culling has been proposed, the Victorian, New South Wales and South Australian governments have agreed not to kill the animals, leaving the $1.5 million sterilization project as the best alterative.
University of New South Wales researchers Cathy Herbert and Kris Carlyon say the implant is designed to cause minimal distress to the female koalas.
"It's something that can be done very quickly," Herbert told the newspaper. "We can inject the contraception and give them a tag and let them go pretty quickly and they don't need to be sedated or transported.
"You don't even need a local anesthetic," she added, "it's the same procedure as vets use for micro chipping dogs."
© 2006 UPI
