A new genetic screening breakthrough promises to help endangered koalas survive by improving how scientists monitor and manage their shrinking, fragmented populations.
Key Points at a Glance
- University of Queensland team developed a national koala genetic screening panel
- The tool helps track genetic diversity and inbreeding across koala populations
- Standardized data enables collaboration between conservation agencies
- New insights could inform safer koala relocation strategies
- The tool is publicly available and suitable for large-scale population monitoring
Australia’s most iconic marsupial is in trouble—but new science may offer a lifeline. Researchers at the University of Queensland have created a powerful new genetic screening tool that could transform efforts to save koalas from extinction. The innovation allows scientists across the country to speak the same genetic language—crucial when trying to manage increasingly isolated and vulnerable koala populations.
The tool is a standardized SNP-array, a type of genetic marker panel using next-generation sequencing to track subtle DNA variations in koalas. It was developed in partnership with the Australian Genome Research Facility and the University of New South Wales’ Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group.
“Koalas are facing pressure from all directions—habitat destruction, vehicle collisions, disease, and inbreeding,” explained Dr. Lyndal Hulse, project lead from UQ’s School of the Environment. “They’re now living in smaller, disconnected habitats, making genetic isolation a major concern.”
The screening tool lets conservationists and researchers accurately compare the genetic diversity of koala populations from different regions. This data is vital for guiding targeted relocation or breeding programs—something that’s tightly regulated in Australia due to the risks of disease and ecological imbalance.
“We need to be smart about moving koalas,” Hulse added. “This tool helps us make those decisions based on solid genetic evidence, not guesswork.”
The SNP-array can process high-quality DNA samples and is designed for large-scale use in the wild, meaning population monitoring can be expanded quickly and consistently across the country. Because it’s publicly available, it ensures researchers and wildlife managers everywhere can coordinate their findings.
Koalas are officially listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales, and the ACT. Without drastic intervention, experts warn that the only koalas future generations may see will be in captivity. That’s why genetic tools like this are so urgently needed.
“If we don’t understand their genetic diversity,” said Hulse, “we risk losing entire populations. This is about giving koalas the best possible chance.”
The tool is already drawing interest from conservation agencies across Australia. With this new approach, science and strategy may finally align to protect a species teetering on the edge.
Source: University of Queensland
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