Five koalas have died at Duisburg Zoo in Germany. All of the koalas suffered from digestive issues and severe diarrhea, and there was no chance of recovery, according to the zoo’s management.
The zoo reported the deaths of a male koala, Tinaroo, a female koala, Gooni, and an eleven-month-old cub on Monday. On Thursday, it announced the death of two other koalas, the females Godarra and Eora.
All of the animals suffered from a form of gastrointestinal condition. They were given medication, underwent ultrasound scans, and received a special eucalyptus mash as an alternative diet.
Unfortunately, these measures were not successful, and the zoo had to euthanize the koalas.
Billions of bacteria
Koalas only eat toxic eucalyptus leaves, and they rely on a unique gut flora with billions of bacteria to digest them. Any imbalance in this gut flora can be life-threatening, the zoo said. It will work with Australian experts to investigate the cause of death further.
The zoo director described the loss as a huge blow to the park. “The next few days will be mainly about processing these painful events and continuing to investigate possible causes. However, we will also have to live with never finding a conclusive answer here”, zoo director Astrid Stewin said.
Four koalas remain
Currently, four koalas remain at Duisburg Zoo. They are healthy and have been kept separate from the other animals since the first signs of illness appeared. Their enclosure is now closed to visitors.
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