Community & Business
22 November, 2023
16 koalas counted
A smaller group of wildlife watchers turned out at Yarranlea last Sunday for the third annual Toowoomba Region Koala Count, spotting 16 koalas.
This proved immaterial to the overall statistics, as Pittsworth Landcare members had already been active across the district in the first fortnight of November.
By Tuesday, a total of 51 koala sightings in the Pittsworth district had been logged on the TRKC 2023 page of the iNaturalist website since November 1.
This month’s koala hotspots are again Yarranlea (14 reports) and Kincora (18) with other sightings in the Linthorpe, Irongate, Springside, St. Helens, Spring Creek, North Branch and Southbrook areas.
There have even been two sightings in Pittsworth township.
Pittsworth Landcare president Lana Bradshaw thanked landholders who are contributing significantly to the success of the koala surveys.
“We have had more people contact us this year with sightings, which has enabled us to document the wider presence of koalas in the local area,” Ms Bradshaw said.
“We are also so appreciative to landholders who have given us permission to check their properties for koalas.
“It gives us a much better picture of the local koala population than just checking roadsides.”
The Koala Count is an important step in getting better scientific data about koalas on the central Darling Downs, because these populations have never been properly studied.
A University of Southern Queensland project involving the tracking of koala movements in the Pittsworth district is also underway and will continue for the whole of 2024.
Pittsworth Landcare’s collection of koala scats for DNA analysis is now complete with the last samples sent to the laboratory this week.
Results are expected in coming months, providing genetic and health information about the local koala population.
A further boost to koala conservation efforts came last week with the announcements that three other groups - Save Mt. Lofty, Millmerran Landcare, and Gomaren and Doctors Creek Catchment Landcare - have received substantial federal government funding for koala research and tree planting over the next 12 months.
Discussions are underway amongst all these groups to co-ordinate activities efficiently and effectively across the region.
The 2023 Toowoomba Region Koala Count continues until November 30. Residents are invited to keep sending photos of koala sightings to Pittsworth Landcare on 0482 612 294 or 0427 937 029.
- Alastair Silcock
