Djilba scores a perfect health check
Djilba, the first koala born at Yanchep National Park in 15 years, has received a clean bill of health following a full assessment by a veterinary team from Perth Zoo. Now 14 months old and weighing a healthy 4.5 kilograms, Djilba’s check-up included blood testing, dental and physical examinations, and the insertion of a microchip for identification.
Park staff have watched Djilba grow from a tiny joey into a confident young koala, learning essential climbing and survival skills alongside his mother, Miffy. Veterinary assessments confirmed he is thriving, with excellent body condition and no health concerns detected.
Samples of blood will undergo testing for general health as well as specific testing for cryptococcus, toxoplasmosis and chlamydia. Djilba’s nose, eyes and teeth were also inspected and showed the koala to be developing well.
Following a short recovery period, Djilba rejoined the park’s koala colony and now shares an enclosure with veteran male, Koodah, born at Yanchep in 2010.
Southern koalas have been a much-loved part of Yanchep National Park since 1938, and the colony plays an important role in supporting broader conservation efforts for the species. With several breeding-age koalas now part of the colony, there is hope that Djilba may soon be joined by more joeys.
The park’s koala colony serves as a healthy satellite breeding population, in support of wider national conservation efforts for the species.
The koalas can be viewed from a visitor boardwalk that winds through carefully managed koala habitat. Yanchep’s koala attraction is best viewed between the hours of 8am to 4.30pm and is open daily.
