News and Events
Keep up with the latest news and events happening around Wild Koala Day and the conservation of Koalas in the Wild.
Koala News & Science June 2022
KOALA NEWS & SCIENCE An informative monthly newsletter about successes & important announcements in koala conservation, and the latest scientific publications about koalas. June 2022 Subscribe here: https://mailchi.mp/808fc4af1ee0/koala-news-science Radio...
Koala News & Science May 2022
Wild Koala Day success!NSW lists koalas as endangered, Cultural burning to protect koala habitats, Volunteers search for koala poo on Mornington Peninsula, 2500 people walk for Toondah, Huge crowd for Great Koala NP forum, Clarence Valley Koala Working Group works with council to deliver better outcome for Koalas, Audio recorders deliver results in SE NSW, At last, some planning protection for koalas in Gympie, Revenge of the Koalas – US take on Fed election, Link between chlamydia and koala retrovirus established, Evidence of koalas in Ballarat, Public survey on attitudes to koalas in Blue Mountains, A few reasons why koalas are important KOALA SCIENCE:Lunney, D.A state-wide picture of koala rescue and rehabilitation in New South Wales during the 2019–2020 bushfires. Blyton, M.D.Koala retrovirus load and non-A subtypes are associated with secondary disease among wild northern koalas. Silver, L.W. A targeted approach to investigating immune genes of an iconic Australian marsupial.Bowater, R.O. A novel alphaherpesvirus and concurrent respiratory cryptococcosis in a captive koala FEATURE PAPER: Cope HR, A systematic review of factors affecting wildlife survival during rehabilitation and release.
STATEMENT: Relief For Koalas & Other Wildlife in Gympie
Published in the Gympie Today newspaper as a Letter to the Editor: FINALLY, RELIEF FOR KOALAS AND OTHER WILDLIFE Last Wednesday, 27th April, Gympie Regional Council (GRC) finally re-introduced planning protections for our region’s biodiversity. Many in the community...
Wild Koala Day 3 May 2022 Results
Pic: Koala Action Gympie Region tree planting Wild Koala Day on May 3 was celebrated with 12 events from Queensland to South Australia, one radio interview (Janine Duffy - Seymour Radio), one petition with 13K signatures from the residents of Esk QLD, emails to...
IFAW 3 ways to help koalas on Wild Koala Day
May 3, 2022 IFAW details three ways to help koalas on Wild Koala Day, May 3, 2022: protect a forest, plant a tree, phone a pollie. Read more: https://www.ifaw.org/au/press-releases/three-ways-help-koalas
Gympie Times feature Wild Koala Day
May 7, 2022 Koala Action Gympie Region had their tree planting efforts featured in the Gympie Times. Read more: https://gympietoday.com.au/news/2022/05/07/peek-planting-to-help-koalas/
Wild Koala Day on Take Action For Wildlife
May 3, 2022
Sydney region Council runs Wild Koala Day event
May 1, 2022 Campbelltown Council, south of Sydney ran a tree planting event once again for Wild Koala Day 2022, on 1 May 2022 at Worrell Park. Read more: https://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/WhatsOn/WildKoalaDayTreePlantingEvent
Koala News & Science April 2022
May 3 Wild Koala Day coming up, and events have increased, Koalas mentioned in federal government budget speech, New koala training for wildlife carers, Important Grey Box forest restoration project in Vic going ahead, 1100 koala trees planted in Joyner, QLD, Funding for koalas in Noosa QLD, One quarter of Little River replanted with koala trees VIC, Investors scrutinising Mt Gilead development, Coffs Council Supports a Great Koala National Park, Success identifying individual koalas from recordings of vocalisations, More koalas than expected in Maroochy Botanic Gardens QLD, Koala numbers stable in Narrandera NSW, Freezing koala sperm cheaper than captive breeding, Emergency intervention for Belmont Hill koalas working QLD, 500 hectares to be reforested in Northern Rivers, Fundraising success for Myall koalas NSW.
KOALA SCIENCE: Howell, L.G. et al Modelling Genetic Benefits and Financial Costs of Integrating Biobanking into the Captive Management of Koalas. Lott, M.J. et al Future‐proofing the koala: synergising genomic and environmental data for effective species management. Eisenhofer, R. et al Individuality and stability of the koala faecal microbiota through time. Kan, A. et al A Possible Link between the Environment and Cryptococcus gattii Nasal Colonisation in Koalas in the Liverpool Plains. Speight, N., Health and Diseases of Koalas. FEATURE PAPER: Camaclang, A. E.et al. Predicting the optimal amount of time to spend learning before designating protected habitat for threatened species.
Greater Sydney Landcare mention Wild Koala Day
May 3, 2022 Greater Sydney Landcare mention Wild Koala Day on their website. Read more: https://greatersydneylandcare.org/wild-koala-day-celebrations-tree-planting-and-a-new-colony-discovered/
7 years celebrating Wild Koala Day, May 3
Wild Koala Day occurs every year, with events from South Australia to Queensland. It is an international celebration of koalas living wild, in The Bush, where they belong. Co-founder of Wild Koala Day Janine Duffy says the original vision of Wild Koala Day was to get...
Koala News & Science March 2022
Koala tree plantations in northern NSW survive flooding; After nearly 20 years, Victorian government finally drafts koala management strategy; Gunnedah koalas to receive chlamydia booster; Fighting climate change and fire risk by planting trees; 8 Indigenous dance groups come together for koala conservation; Koala tree giveaway starts; Gold Coast moves to reduce koala road deaths; Public forum on koalas in Sutherland; Wild Koala Day on again 3 May LATEST KOALA SCIENCE: Frere, C.et al Immediate and long-term genetic consequences of linear transport infrastructure: can fauna crossing mitigate its cost? Lunney, D. An analysis of the long-term trends in the records of Friends of the Koala in north-east New South Wales: I. & II. Feature Paper: Wedrowicz, F.,et al 2017. Landscape, koalas and people: A historical account of koala populations and their environment in South Gippsland.
Koala News & Science February 2022
Koala habitats headline Google article; Community volunteering for koalas on Bellarine Peninsula VIC; Guula, Koala, critical to First Nations People in NSW; Endangered ruling may help SA koalas; Just stop approving the destruction of koala habitat!; Government criticised for their role in koala decline; Victorian Koala populations finally recognised as facing threats;
Scientist asks public to post in Koala poo QLD; Koala surveys across Moorabool VIC; Offer to ‘Rent out koalas” may spark a change in legislation; Koala Science: Jiang, A.Z.et al Movement of Free-Ranging Koalas in Response to Male Vocalisation Playbacks.Law, B.S. et al Fire severity and its local extent are key to assessing impacts of Australian mega‐fires on koala density. Littleford‑Colquhoun, B.L.et al How microbiomes can help inform conservation: landscape characterisation of gut microbiota helps shed light on additional population structure in a specialist folivore. Hawkins, J et al Morphometric description of the koala humerus using microcomputed tomography.
Koala News & Science January 2022
Federal Government bows to pressure & allocates $50million, but no relief on land clearing; Koala advocates receive awards: Maria Matthes: Ballina Citizen of the Year; Dirk Jansen, Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation: Mornington Peninsula Citizen of the Year; Chlamydia vaccine trial seems to be working Gold Coast QLD; New machines diagnose koala conditions at Port Stephens NSW;
Koalas in far eastern Victoria contribute to Australia-wide genome project; ANU scientists survey Kosciuszko NP NSW for koalas;Trillion Trees partnership launches guide for sustainable reforestation; How to make koala plantations palatable – workshop presentations available; KOALA SCIENCE:Chen, C.J et al Pharmacokinetic Profile of Doxycycline in Koala Plasma after Weekly Subcutaneous Injections for the Treatment of Chlamydiosis. Blyton, M.D. et al Characterization of the juvenile koala gut microbiome across wild populations. Ashby, J. The political platypus and colonial koala-decolonising the way we talk about Australian mammals. Sommer, & Ferraro, An interest-based rights ethic for wildlife management and applications to behavioral training. FEATURE PAPER: Paull, D.C., Significant decline of a large Koala population: evidence for the effects of climate change.
Koala News & Science December 2021
NSW Northern Rivers koala tree planting exceeds goal, sets higher target, Koala sighting on NSW south coast, How do koalas eat? Facts & figures on roadkill in Australia and ideas for reducing it, $25K donation to kick start koala habitat in Noosa, New koala rehabilitation centre opens at Richmond, Brisbane tradies help transform koala shelter, Working with wildlife carers to prepare for crises, Restore & protect nature to tackle climate change, Drones planting koala trees in Queensland. Latest Koala science: Hulse et al Investigation of pathology associated with Chlamydia pecorum infection in the male reproductive tract, and the effect on spermatogenesis and semen quality in the koala. Tokonami et al, Pharmacokinetic Profile of Fentanyl in the Koala after Intravenous Administration, and Absorption via a Transdermal Patch. Blyton et al Maternal inheritance of the koala gut microbiome and its compositional and functional maturation during juvenile development. FEATURE PAPER: Dickman, Australia’s Natural Environment: A Warning for the World.
Koala News & Science November 2021
“Do we love koalas enough?” Stuart Blanch asks ABC radio; New koala colony west of Sydney found as a result of COVID lockdowns; Koalas once again the focus of Climate Change protests; Wildlife rescuers trained to check bushfire areas sooner; Tweed Council pushes back against SEPP; Funding for Gippsland Landcare groups to plant trees; Koala deaths on road reduced around Emerald;
Petition to protect 200 hectares of koala forest receives 24,970 signatures;
Cherry Tree SF declared core Koala Habitat; Koala researcher wins Australian Academy of Science grant; Planting trees for koalas in Australian Geographic
KOALA SCIENCE: Mitchell, Soto-Berelov, Jones Regional Variation in Forest Canopy Height and Implications of Koala Habitat Mapping and Forest and Forest Management. Melzer & Black. Koala road kills are linked to landscape attributes on Central Queensland’s Peak Downs Highway. Law, Gonsvales, Burgar, Brassil, Kerr, Wilmott, Madden, Smith, Mella, Crowther, Krockenberger, Rus, Pietsch, Truskinger, Eichinski, Roe. Estimating and validating koala density estimates from acoustic arrays using spatial count modelling. FEATURE PAPER: Ellis, Melzer, Clifton, Carrick; (2010) Climate change and the koala: water and energy.
Koala News & Science October 2021
Koala genome in public domain, Restor launches using koala tree planting as case study, Chlamydia vaccine trials, 9000 trees planted for koalas at Gunnedah NSW, Snowy-Monaro Koalas released after fires are doing well, NSW Minister admits Government not doing enough, FLINTpro assesses carbon capture of a koala tree plantation VIC, Areas removed from logging thanks to conservation group, Coffs Coast NSW, Koala NFT (cryptocurrency) art raises money for koala rehabilitation, Koala detection dog gets international award. Koala Science: Lunney, A six-year study of mitigating koala roadkill during an upgrade of the Pacific Highway at Lindsay’s cutting, Coffs Harbour New South Wales.Pahuja & Narayan, Indexing Baselines: Determining Physiological Stress in Rescued Orphaned Koala Joeys Under Rehabilitation by Comparing Faecal Cortisol Levels Between Healthy and Impaired Individuals.Feature Paper: Moore & Foley (2000) A review of feeding and diet selection in koalas
Koala News & Science September 2021
Koalas the symbol of Australian climate inaction at COP26; Restor revegetation platform launches on October 13; Fundraising for more koala road signs at Bangalow NSW; Bylong Coal Mine rejected NSW; Study underway to learn about how koalas cope with fires; Campaign to make ecocide an international crime progresses; Drones survey for koalas around Port Stephens NSW; Plight of Macarthur/Campbelltown (Sydney) koalas on ABC radio; Cryptocurrency alliance announces fundraiser for tree planting, including some in Australia; 25,000 koala trees planted around Geelong region; University of Sydney scientists to make full koala genome available to all ; Dog attacks on koalas reduced, due to Griffith University program;
Funding for koala habitat in Gippsland VIC; Noosa to dress up for koalas QLD; Results from South Gippsland koala surveys VIC. Latest koala science: Dissanayake, R. B.et al Estimating koala density from incidental koala sightings in South‐East Queensland, Australia (1997–2013), using a self‐exciting spatio‐temporal point process model.; Howell, L. G. et al Drone thermal imaging technology provides a cost-effective tool for landscape-scale monitoring of a cryptic forest dwelling species across all population densities; Joyce, B. A. et al Koala retrovirus genetic diversity and transmission dynamics within captive koala populations. Feature Paper: Ward, M. et al A national-scale dataset for threats impacting Australia’s imperiled flora and fauna.
Koala News & Science August 2021
Conservation groups will soon be able to survey for wildlife using QUT AI; 21,000+ koala trees planted around the You Yangs VIC; Lindt partners with AKF on Koala Kiss Corridor project; New koala zone road signage at Goonengerry, northern NSW; Landowners in southern NSW urged to plant koala trees; 337 koalas rescued over four years by Queensland carer; Koala Hospital president awarded local tourism hero NSW; Northern NSW Landcare group plants trees for koalas; New koala group formed to urgently protect koalas in northern NSW; New video offers tips to make Gold Coast backyards safe for koalas
LATEST KOALA SCIENCE: Skerrett‐Byrne, D. A. et al, Proteomic analysis of koalaspermatozoa and prostatic bodies; Bhattacharyya, J. et al, Coexisting: The Role of Communications in Improving Attitudes towards Wildlife; Charalambous, R. et al Physiological Stress in Rescued Wild Koalas Being Held in a Rehabilitation Sanctuary: A Pilot Study. FEATURE PAPER: Brice KL et al 2019. The Koala faecal microbiome differs with diet in a wild population.
Koala News & Science July 2021
Locals, farmers & plantation timber companies fight to save Strzelecki Koalas from VicForests threat, Solar powered VHF ear tags for koalas developed by USC; Gloucester Environment Group encourage landowners to plant koala food trees; Results of study into NSW Central Coast koalas finds more than expected; Tree planting for koalas near Port Stephens/Newcastle NSW; Toormina koala habitat decision goes back to court; New plan to bring koalas back to Eurobodalla launches; NSW government offers $1.1million to business for koala tech; Manningham informs residents about koala habitat; Currumbin Waters site to be acquired for eco-parkland; Funding for koala-tracking near Coffs Harbour. LATEST SCIENCE: Richardson, A, et al. Application of low-power wide-area network GPS to koala monitoring; Schultz, B. et al, Prolonged Chilled Preservation and Preliminary Investigations of Energy Production of Koala Spermatozoa; Jessica A. Harris et al, Engaging dog trainers in a city-wide roll-out of koala aversion skill enhancement: a social marketing program; FEATURE PAPER: Patterson J. et al, THE PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CHLAMYDIA INFECTION IN ISLAND AND MAINLAND POPULATIONS OF VICTORIAN KOALAS
Koala News & Science June 2021
Bangalow Koalas’ corridor on ABC Landline; 15,000 Koala trees to be planted on Mornington Peninsula, VIC; NSW Government asked for more detail on koala plan; Koala Clancy Foundation target: 300,000 koala trees by 2030 in Little, Moorabool & Barwon River systems VIC; Public asked to contribute koala sightings on Kangaroo Island, SA; Public meeting in Tweed to discuss plight of koalas; More koala sightings in Blue Mountains; French Beauty Company supports koalas; Byron Shire Council rejected development on koala habitat, but developer takes it to appeal; Facial recognition of koalas trialled in SE Queensland; Weed removal and tree planting for koalas at Bonville Creek. LATEST KOALA SCIENCE: Marsh, K.J. et al Fundamental dietary specialisation explains differential use of resources within a koala population; Santamaria, F.et al Identification of Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) Faecal Cortisol Metabolites Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Enzyme Immunoassays; Dissanayake, R.B. et al Predicting koala distribution from incidental sighting data in South-East Queensland, Australia; Golumbic, Y. N. et al Engagement styles in an environmental citizen science project. FEATURE PAPER: Wedrowicz, F.et al. Genetic structure and diversity of the koala population in South Gippsland, Victoria: a remnant population of high conservation significance
Koala News & Science May 2021
Koala News & Science May 2021: Save Our Koalas Day of Action 5 June; 2800 koala trees planted on Raymond Island Vic; Queenslanders asked to participate in UQ survey about koalas; Koala Health and Habitat Workshop, northern NSW; New koala tourism facility progresses at Port Macquarie;Water For Wildlife launched in Lismore; Koala-suited protestors call on Forestry Corporation NSW to stop logging native forests; Greens introduce bill to support Great Koala National Park; $20,000 raised to care for koalas in Gold Coast. Latest Koala Science:Stephenson et al, Molecular Diagnosis of Koala Retrovirus (KoRV) in South Australian Koalas; Van Lange, A broader mind: concern with other humans, equality, and animals; Corcoran et al, Evaluating new technology for biodiversity monitoring: Are drone surveys biased? Feature Paper: Ellis & Bercovitch, Body size and sexual selection in the koala
Koala News & Science April 2021
KOALA NEWS & SCIENCE An informative monthly newsletter about successes & important announcements in koala conservation, and the latest scientific publications about koalas. April 2021 Subscribe here: https://mailchi.mp/808fc4af1ee0/koala-news-science Lots of...
Koala News & Science March 2021
KOALA NEWS & SCIENCE An informative monthly newsletter about successes & important announcements in koala conservation, and the latest scientific publications about koalas. March 2021 Subscribe here: https://mailchi.mp/808fc4af1ee0/koala-news-science 56,000...