Health Diaries > Animal Health

October 1, 2006

Koala Bears to Be Given Birth Control

Filed under Koala Bears

Scientists are planning to inject koala bears in Australia with a hormone called Gonadtrophin in order to curb the koala population explosion that is destroying a certain species of eucalyptus tree at the rate of one pound of leaves per day.

"We're developing a system where a contraceptive implant can be darted into the animal's thigh muscle every couple of years so you don't have to climb the trees, which is quite intensive work," Herbert said. "The remote delivery system should be ready sometime next year for trials in the field."

Australian scientists to test contraceptive dart in effort to curb koala population explosion