A team of scientists in Australia are planning to conduct a culling of koalas in order to prevent the spread of the chlamydia infection that has afflicted a large number of the marsupial's local population.

The disease chlamydia is known to cause the lesions in the eyes and genitals of koalas, which results in the animals' blindness, sterility and early death. The condition also causes the marsupials to become infertile.

In a study featured in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, Australian researchers led by David Wilson from the University of New South Wales suggest that a systematic killing of the affected koalas could help eliminate the spread of the chlamydia infection to other healthy populations of the marsupials.

Wilson explained that by treating moderately sick koalas but euthanizing marsupial's infected by more advanced forms of the illness no longer treatable using antibiotics will lead to an increase in the koala's populations in the end.

To find out the effectiveness of such a method at stopping the transmission chlamydia among the animals, Wilson and his colleagues carried out simulations of a koala population found at Moreton Bay in Australia's northeastern region under several different scenarios from treatment of the disease to a systematic culling of the koalas.

The researchers discovered that while a culling of the marsupials would cause a rapid decline in the animal's population, their numbers would be able to recover in four years.

Wilson said their findings show that a methodical targeting and killing of the diseased koalas will paradoxically result in a population increase over the next five to 10 years.

Despite this potential gains, the researchers note that the idea of culling of koalas to save them from chlamydia infection will generate reactions from people.

"They're just lucky they're cute and so we don't want to do something like that but I'm here trying to save the koalas," Wilson said.

"It actually does mean we need to look after the broader population by euthanizing, humanely, those who are very severely diseased."

The population of koalas in Australia has experienced a significant decline because of different factors such as chlamydia, drought and the changing climate.

Photo: Marc Dalmulder | Flickr