What? Chlamydia from a Koala!?

When we visited Australia in the fall, of course we posted photos of our adventures – including the awesome experience of a Koala Cuddle. We immediately received one interesting comment from a friend who was terrified that we risked Chlamydia just to do a Koala Cuddle!

Our readers who follow us know that we really like to do our research before a trip, but this one completely snuck up on us. After turning to a trusty Google search on contracting chlamydia via a Koala Cuddle, I’m not sure how we missed it. It seems to be a pretty common concern. Maybe it’s a good thing we didn’t know! Nah, just kidding. Everything we have researched, and a helpful answer we received from a trusted zoologist, has come to the unanimous conclusion: Responsible Koala Cuddles are totally safe. But, in case you’ve stumbled across this blog while doing your own research, and you’re freaking out a bit, let me ease your mind.

There are two strains of the disease affecting koalas. Koalas are infected with 'Chlamydia pecorum' and 'Chlamydia pneum oniae'. The chlamydia that causes an STD in humans is 'Chlamydia trachomatis'. Not the same illness. 'Chlamydia pneumoniae ' can be transmitted from koalas to humans, and when it does, it causes a respiratory illness, not a form of STD. The explanation we received was that even then, the conditions have to be just right. A human has to come in contact with a fair amount of urine from an infected kola, and that urine would have to enter the human body somehow, like an open wound, touching eyes, nose or mouth with urine on the hands, etc... This typically only happens when people try to pick up wild kolas. Which they never should. Not only should we leave wild animals alone, but when koalas aren't sloth-like digesting their eucalyptus diet, it's said that they can be rather aggressive. ​​The kolas we had contact with were from a credible rain forest protection group. We chose Rainforestation Nature Park, located in Far North Queensland, amidst the Kuranda rainforest, because of their great reputation of love and care for their animals. We did our Koala Cuddle with healthy kolas, who, because of domestication (from which many were rescued), would be unable to survive in the wild. They didn't pee on us. And trust me, even though they were adorable, we *scrubbed* our hands immediately! It’s been several months, and we both have a clean bill of health. No chlamydia for these honeymooners! To learn more about Koala Cuddles (and how to enjoy them responsibly), check out our other post about Responsible Koala Cuddles.

#animals #conservation #ecotourism