Koala egg and sperm bank created in bid keep species alive

Queensland's first koala egg and sperm bank is being established at a regional university campus in an effort to preserve the genetic diversity of the endangered marsupial.

A team of scientists and biologists at the Gatton campus of the University of Queensland (UQ) are working with wildlife hospitals to gather samples from dying koalas, which can be cryo-preserved — or frozen –as a "genetic safety net".

Reproductive biologist Andres Gambini said, without the samples, crucial koala genetics could be lost forever.

"Biobanking is very, very crucial in species that are endangered, like the koala,"

Dr Gambini said.

"The more genetic diversity you have within the population, the better the species can adjust and adapt to changes like environmental changes, heat, stress, fire, disease."

The harvested sperm and egg cells would be stored so that, in the future, scientists could use that genetic material for artificial insemination or in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

"Hopefully … we can transfer those embryos into koala females that can carry on the gestation of an embryo that was produced in the lab," Dr Gambini said.

"[It's] very similar to what's being done in other domestic animals or even humans."

Saving Australia's iconic animals

The Gatton biobank will be stocked with reproductive samples taken from the testes and ovaries of dead or dying koalas.

The scientists have partnered with the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital on the Gold Coast, which will provide the genetic material from koalas that were beyond saving.

Michael Pyne from the wildlife hospital said they treated about 400 koalas a year.

"They are really struggling; there are many challenges for koalas that are not just habitat loss," Dr Pyne said.

A chlamydia epidemic, feral animal attacks and vehicle strikes are causing koala numbers to dwindle. The RSPCA has warned the species could be wiped out entirely from south-east Queensland in the "not too distant future".

Dr Pyne said it was "really embarrassing" that one of Australia's most iconic native animals was listed as endangered.

"I often say, 'If we can't be bothered to save koalas, what can we be bothered to save?'" Dr Pyne said.

He agreed with Dr Gambini that genetic diversity was the key to saving the koala population.

"There may be some very key genetics that, through preservation, we can bring back later, that could make a big difference in the future," Dr Pyne said.

Future proofing genetics

Once scientists identify key genetic material, they categorise the samples by the health and "genetic merit" of the animal.

"Let's say in 20 years we want to use that sample," Dr Gambini said.

"We can easily find it within our frozen bank."

Last year, Dr Gambini led a UQ team to successfully produce the first kangaroo embryo through IVF.

He said while a successful live birth through the process was at least a decade away, they were making progress with creating embryos in different species.

"We do IVF in cattle, horses, pigs, donkeys and cats. Now, we've slowly moved into the marsupial world," Dr Gambini said.

Keeping koalas chlamydia-free

The prevalence of chlamydia in koalas continues to be a significant barrier to the species' survival.

Dr Pyne said chlamydial disease could not only kill koalas, but could also render them infertile.

"When you have an endangered species and many of those animals can't breed, it's not a good combination because we need them breeding to get those numbers back up," he said.

Part of the UQ research is to identify the presence of chlamydia bacteria in the reproductive samples.

"Whenever we want to use that [sample], we can create embryos or use sperm from animals that we know don't have the presence of that bacteria," Dr Gambini said.

Freeing future koala populations from the venereal disease would go a long way to ensuring the species survived, Dr Pyne added.

"There's a long way to go but … we don't want to miss these opportunities to preserve whatever genetics we can," he said.

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