Koala breeding season is now underway, and already local wildlife groups are reporting an increase in impacts on koalas from road strikes and dog attacks.
“We are putting the call-out now for everyone in the community to help get our precious koala residents through these next few months safely,” said Michelle Daly, Public Relations Officer with Koala Action Gympie Region.
From July to December, the movement of koalas increases, as juveniles disperse in search of their own home range and adults seek a mate.
“They are covering greater distances on the ground, and all this extra activity puts them at higher risk of coming into contact with a dog or being hit by a vehicle,” she said.
“We are asking residents to drive more carefully in koala hotspots, and to ensure that dogs are contained at night when koalas are most active and moving around.
“It is also important that dogs are not allowed to roam.”
At particular risk now, early in the season, are the very young males dispersing away from their mothers, trying to find try to find their own new territory.
“They can end up in odd, unexpected and sometimes dangerous places in their search- an urban backyard with dogs, a veranda post on a rural home, or on a fence in a cattle yard,” she said.
“Do check if your dogs are barking-it could be a lost little koala in need of help.
“We encourage all residents to put wildlife rescue numbers in your phone and have our Koala
Glovebox Guide ready in your car, with ‘what to do’ if you accidentally hit a koala or find and injured or dead koala on the road. Call in regarding a deceased koala on a road too, as they also need to be attended for important checks and to gather data.”
This Guide and the general koala information brochure are available at the Gympie Library, the Council office in Channon St and outlets throughout the region.
Residents are also being encouraged to continue to report their koala sightings into Council’s “Wildwatch Gympie”.
“The data is helping koala conservation efforts in many way,” Michelle said.
“For example, the records of the koala road impacts have been key to our advocating with TMR for improved road signage and mitigation in several areas in the Region, thus helping other koalas.”
If you’ve spotted a sick or injured koala, you can contact the following for help:
ANARRA Gympie Wildlife Rescue: 5484 9111.
For koalas in the southern and eastern part of region (Mary Valley and Wolvi/Goomboorian)
most koala rescues are coordinated by Wildcare (Noosa Region Koala Rescue Team): 24-hour number 5527 2444.
RSPCA 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625) for all of QLD.
