Koala Euthanasia More Common Than Treatment and Release on East Coast

Just 25 percent of koalas rescued and admitted to hospitals went on to be released into an appropriate habitat, Renae Charalambous said.

An injured koala is being treated for burns by a vet at a makeshift field hospital at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park in South Australia, on Jan. 14, 2020. PETER PARKS/AFP via Getty Images

Koalas admitted to veterinary hospitals on the Australian east coast are at a high risk of euthanasia, according to recent research.

A University of Queensland (UQ) study analysed records of over 50,000 koala sightings and hospital admissions from 1967 to 2019 and found that euthanasia was the most common outcome.