Rockhampton Zoo farewells beloved koala Shaun

Published on 25 February 2026

It is with immense sadness that Rockhampton Regional Council shares the news of the passing of beloved koala, Shaun.

Shaun passed away on Wednesday, following complications from a prostate infection.

Parks, Sport and Public Spaces Councillor Cherie Rutherford said Shaun’s passing will be deeply felt throughout the Rockhampton Zoo and the community.

"This news has devastated our zoo family as it was not expected,” said Cr Rutherford.

“Our keepers work diligently to care for our zoo animals and develop strong relationships with them.

“Shaun’s keepers noticed he was unwell in preceding days, and he received specialist veterinary care but unfortunately passed under anaesthetic.”

Zoo Director Ms Liz Bellward said Shaun, nine years old, had been a valued part of the zoo for seven years, arriving in May 2018 as a rescue.

“He was found on someone’s verandah in the Gold Coast hinterland when he was only six months old, and we believe he may have been separated from his mother due to his vision impairment,” said Ms Bellward.

“He was tested and found to have chlamydia, a major threat to the species survival, so he was part of the first ever Chlamydia trial to help wild and captive koalas with this terrible disease.

“Shaun played an important role in conservation, with researchers from CQUniversity and Australian National University testing his scat as part of their research to detect cortisol metabolites, diseases and other physiological traits.” 

Through money raised from donations and animal encounters, Rockhampton Zoo also contributed $8,819 to Koala Research CQ in 2022 to support their important research on local koala populations in Central Queensland.

“His involvement helped pave the way for a healthier future for wild koalas,” said Ms Bellward.

Rockhampton Zoo will continue its work to secure additional koalas for the zoo as opportunities arise in the future.