Population surge forces Aussie Victoria to give female koalas contraception

Female koalas in Australia's Victoria state will be given contraception this week in an effort to control the state's soaring koala numbers.

The population surge, which resulted in reports of starved marsupials dropping dead from trees, prompted the government intervention earlier this year when more than 600 koalas were secretly euthanized in March.

But the population of koalas in the Cape Otway region in the state's south has continued to grow, and the Environment Department is conducting a week-long koala health assessment to determine the future of the native marsupials.

Spokeswoman Mandy Watson said the department was going to introduce fertility control implants to reduce the birth rate of koalas in the area.

She also said that koalas that were sick or dying would be culled by vets in a painless manner.

"The health assessment is expected to run for a week and includes catching a representative sample of koalas, examining them, ear-tagging and implanting fertility control in the females prior to release," Watson said on Tuesday.

"Any unhealthy koalas which are deemed too sick to survive will be humanely euthanized to prevent further suffering."

Watson said the Cape Otway region was renowned for a high koala population, with a shrinking habitat area and conservation measures resulting in higher birth rates.

Back in March, the Environment Department revealed that thousands of koalas were crammed into the area, resulting in 11 koalas residing per hectare, 10 more than the official Victorian sustainable rate of just one per hectare.

"We are focusing our attention on private land in Cape Otway where koalas are affected by over-browsing," Watson said. Endi