koala

Koala conservation organisation, Friends of the Koala, say there’s been a 15 per cent increase in koalas being hit by vehicles in the Northern Rivers region this past year, calling for extra vigilance from motorists ... Between May 2023 and May 2024, Friends of the Koala received reports of 71 koalas who were hit by vehicles, of which only 13 were able to be rehabilitated and released back to the wild.

The Miles Government has released the findings of a review of the government’s koala habitat protection regulations. The regulations were introduced in 2020 to better protect South East Queensland’s iconic koala population and the habitat they call home ... The consultation confirmed the regulations had been effective, however some elements have not worked as intended.  

Koala Conversations, a dynamic series of events dedicated to koala conservation, is set to captivate communities across the Northern Rivers region. From the 18th to the 31st of May, a multitude of engaging activities and educational opportunities will unfold, culminating in the Koala Conversations Forum at Southern Cross University on the 1st of June.

The government’s own research on the north coast has confirmed that forestry does not affect koala numbers ... New data from field surveys of 1000 sites, trumpeted by the incoming Environment Minister and commenced a year ago, will not be released in time to stimulate or inform public submissions on the Koala Strategy ... The result is preordained.

Hundreds of native seedlings are set to be planted on flood-affected land, helping to bolster native habitat and reduce future flood damage. The project area, adjacent to and including Lions Park, Lower Tenthill, consists of two recently acquired lots which were bought back under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back (VHBB) program.

During the 2019 bushfires, Ember was severely dehydrated, her fur was black, coated in soot and she was badly singed. She suffered from congested lungs from smoke inhalation and had significant burns to her rump and all four paws.

Walk out your front door and look down the street.   If you are in the regions or in suburbia, then you will look at a tall wooden pole that carries the cables that gives you electricity. Have you taken much notice of them?   Probably not, but the pole is native hardwood harvested from a native forest where, through the application of science, it was encouraged to grow that straight.   Timber power poles are selectively harvested from regrowth or working forests.

As Scenic Rim residents continue to repair and rebuild following the devastating Christmas-New Year storms, native animals are re-establishing their homes as green shoots of recovery appear in bushland areas … a survey over three nights of a Council natural area at Tamborine aimed to assess the damage to habitat and its impacts on koalas and greater gliders to assist Scenic Rim Regional Council's efforts in protecting these endangered species.

Vic Jurskis comments on a research article on the causes of morbidity and mortality in rescued koala joeys ... "academics don't see the big picture of forest ecology and management ... the scientific solution would be to restore frequent mild burning in the bush ... "