Koalas ‘Closer to Extinction’ With New Disease Outbreak

Koalas ‘Closer to Extinction’ With New Disease Outbreak
A seven month-old Northern Koala joey clings to his mother Tara after emerging from her pouch at Sydney Wildlife World in Sydney, Australia on July 31, 2007. Ian Waldie/Getty Images
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A potentially lethal sexually-transmitted infection has been detected in the last disease-free koala population in one major city, heightening extinction fears for the endangered native marsupial.

Two koalas, part of a population in southwest Sydney already under threat from development, were found infected with chlamydia in September, the New South Wales (NSW) environment department said in a statement on March 21.

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Australian Associated Press is an Australian news agency.