A South Australia National Parks & Wildlife koala capture expert lassoes a large male koala 50' up a Kangaroo Island manna gum.

Koalas in many regions of mainland eastern Australia lead a threatened existence, due to environmental degradation, disease, bushfires and loss of habitat.

In stark contrast, during the late 1990s a koala population boom on Kangaroo Island, off the south western coast of South Australia, created a conservation furore. An estimated 5,000 koalas were outstripping their food source; leaving gum trees tattered and dying in thousands.

So, an ambitious programme to sterilise more than 2500 male and female koalas and relocate at least 750 to the state's mainland was initiated at an estimated cost of more than Aust. $1/2 million. 

Sterilised and relocated female koala and "joey" in manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) in the S.E. of South Australia, north of Mt.Gambia.

A South Australia National Parks & Wildlife koala capture expert "flags down" a large male koala from a manna gum.

South Australia National Parks and Wildlife koala capture experts place a captured Kangaroo Island female koala and her "joey" in a hessian sack to be taken for sterilisation and relocation.

A one day old koala baby attached to a teat in the pouch of its mother.

A koala sterilisation program veterinarian weighs a koala "joey" prior to anaesthesia and sterilisation.

A specialist vet performs laparoscopy sterilisation of female koala on a tilting operating table in his surgery.

A sterilised relocated koala from Kangaroo Island is released north of Mt. Gambier on the South Australian mainland.

On Kangaroo Island, TEPA's director spent many hours gradually habituating koalas so they could be photographed at close quarters without distress.