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New technology to keep track of koalas during bushfire season

<h3 dir="ltr">Authorities were left to guess the death toll of adorable koalas and other threatened species after the Black Summer bushfires that tore through our east coast.</h3> The disaster exposed a lack of data about what was living where - a consequence of how expensive and time consuming it is to gather such information on a large scale. On World Environment Day, news emerged of a three-way collaboration using drones, artificial intelligence algorithms and dedicated volunteers, to help make a difference. Drones fitted with cameras and thermal sensors will be given to trained Landcare groups and will be regularly flown over local koala habitats. Footage will then be sent to the Queensland University of Technology to be scanned by the AI algorithm, which essentially allows computers to "see". Highly accurate data about the location and number of koalas is then returned to volunteers, who can use it to inform their conservation work. University ecologist Grant Hamilton developed the algorithm with colleague Simon Denman and says involving Landcare groups is the perfect way to scale up the use of the technology and start generating big data sets. "As the Black Summer bushfires showed, we simply don't know what's out there. The huge benefit of this is being able to cover a lot of ground quickly," he said. It also removes the challenge of scaling rugged terrain and offers more accurate information. The $1.5 million project has been funded by WIRES, Australia's largest wildlife rescue organisation and Landcare with in-kind support from the university. Landcare Australia CEO Shane Norrish says the project will start with five groups from Victoria’s north to Queensland but will soon expand into other areas. The same approach could be used to monitor threatened species other than the koala. WIRES CEO Leanne Taylor says better data should mean a better wildlife response when future disasters strike. More than 60,000 koalas were killed or injured in the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire disaster, WWF Australia calculated. Nearly three billion animals - including mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs - were impacted. Meanwhile, the 2022 Queensland budget will allocate almost $40 million to help protect the state's native flora and fauna. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

WIRES to launch new Koala rescue course

A new koala rescue course has been launched nationwide by WIRES for registered wildlife carers. The course, which launches this month, is part of a WIRES plan to increase rescue and rehabilitation capacity and improve emergency rescue response for koalas. It will explore the best practice for rescuing and transporting injured, sick or orphaned koalas and will be delivered online. In February 2022 koalas in Queensland, NSW and the ACT were officially classified as an endangered species and WIRES chief operating officer Kyla Shelley said the sheer number of koala rescues in NSW painted a clear picture of the increased need to build volunteer capacity and capability. "We have seen almost a doubling of koala rescues in the last two years," she said. "These are usually complex situations and require specific skills to assist this unique species." The WIRES koala rescue course will cover: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Work health and safety risks involved in rescuing and transporting koalas </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Koala biology, behaviour, distribution, and threats </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Appropriate capture, handling, and transport methods </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Rescue scenarios and how to approach koalas </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Koala observational assessment and reporting processes post-rescue </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Common injuries and diseases. </li> </ul> The course is based on the standards and guidelines outlined in the NSW environment department code of practice for injured, sick and orphaned koalas and the official guidelines for initial treatment and care of rescued koalas. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

Free kids’ book raising money for koalas

One of Australia’s most iconic native animals, the koala is officially classified as “endangered” – after widespread bushfires, drought, floods and land clearing has put these adorable little marsupials at risk of extinction. Aussie Ark president Tim Faulkner said the sheer scale and ferocity of the 2019/2020 Black Summer fires meant the number of koalas lost would “forever remain unknown”. “But when you have canopy fires of the intensity that were seen and 80% of koala habitat was burnt, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out a lot of koalas lost their lives and habitat – it’s massive,” Mr Faulkner said. While habitat loss was a grim catalyst for the upgrade to endangered, Mr Faulkner said koalas were already on a “crash course” to extinction in NSW by 2050. “The fires have done nothing but speed that up,” he said. “Can you imagine if koalas were extinct in the wild? It doesn’t even seem real, but it is.” Australia has one of the highest numbers of national parks in the world, but species like koalas are still disappearing from the very places that are supposed to enable them to run wild. “Koalas are iconic, so are (Tasmanian) devils, the platypus and echidna, but you go through all of them and devils are endangered, koalas are endangered, the platypus is near-threatened,” Mr Faulkner said. “They’re uniquely Australian. You lose them from here, they’re gone. As well as directly protecting koala habitat and ongoing fire and weed management, Aussie Ark has planted 22,000 trees of a planned 110,000, including those all-important eucalyptus trees for koala food and fodder. The animal conservation charity has also teamed up with Coles to help save everyone’s favourite tree-hugger with a free downloadable children’s book. The Picky Little Koala tells the story of Kelly the koala’s journey to find the perfect home. For every free download between now and the 19th of April, Coles will donate $1 to Aussie Ark’s koala conservation efforts, up to $100,000. Mr Faulkner hopes parents across Australia will share the book over Easter with the nation’s budding wildlife warriors. “Please grab the book,” he said. ”By getting it for free, you’re directly helping a koala.” An easy way to entertain kids over Easter, Coles chief marketing officer Lisa Ronson said the book would assist in koala recovery for future generations to come. Download your free copy of The Picky Little Koala from Apple Books and soon on Google Play. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

Australia's cutest marsupials are now an endangered species

The fight is on to save Australia’s cutest icons.Koalas are now officially an “endangered” species in NSW, Queensland and ACT after the federal government upgraded their status from “vulnerable.The much-loved marsupials’ population has plummeted in those states over recent years and they are now at serious risk of being wiped out.“Today I am increasing the protection for koalas in NSW, the ACT and Queensland listing them as endangered rather than their previous designation of vulnerable,” federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley said on Friday.An endangered listing recognises that a species is at high risk of extinction.“The impact of prolonged drought, followed by the black summer bushfires, and the cumulative impacts of disease, urbanisation and habitat loss over the past twenty years have led to the advice,” Ms Ley added.The environment minister wants Queensland, NSW and Victoria to sign up to a national recovery plan worth $50 million over four years.“We are taking unprecedented action to protect the koala, working with scientists, medical researchers, veterinarians, communities, states, local governments and traditional owners,” Ms Ley said.The Australian Koala Foundation has estimated there are fewer than 100,000 koalas remaining in the wild, with feral predators and land clearing for development to blame.The 2019-20 bushfire crisis and the drought that followed has also contributed to a rapid decline in population. In 2020, a NSW parliamentary inquiry warned the marsupial would likely become extinct before the middle of the century without urgent intervention.Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Quick thinking man uses ALDI trolley to rescue trapped koala

The man filmed pushing a koala in an ALDI trolley has explained how he came to find himself in such an unusual situation. Peter Elmore, from Hastings, Victoria, <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/trapped-and-scared-aldi-shopper-reveals-the-heartwarming-story-behind-his-koala-trolley-rescue--c-5355061" target="_blank">spoke to 7NEWS </a>about the TikTok video a stranger recorded that shows him pushing a koala in a trolley in an ALDI carpark, explaining that he and his wife Kelly were on holiday in Portland he visited the local ALDI. His grocery run quickly turned into an animal rescue attempt, however, when he noticed a koala that had become trapped in the parking lot. He told 7NEWS, “There was only one way in and out of the carpark, and the koala was cornered. She was trying to climb the high wooden fence and kept falling. And because koalas can’t put their arms out to protect themselves when they fall, she kept landing on her head and bashing her face. “Then I saw an elderly man nearly run over her and I knew I had to get her out of there.” <div class="embed"><iframe class="embedly-embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7053328668852014338&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40cherrymaeferrer%2Fvideo%2F7053328668852014338&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F6c50fd26b66d41b19531c433c8486680_1642231055%7Etplv-tiktok-play.jpeg%3Fx-expires%3D1643151600%26x-signature%3DbWEJBaYxRx%252F9rgRUpvsXwP%252FCbUk%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" scrolling="no" title="tiktok embed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div> Peter and his wife are wildlife volunteers and have experience with rescuing koalas, telling 7NEWS, “We have a few koalas around where we live, so I’ve done it before.” As for why he put the koala in the shopping trolley, he explained, “I would’ve put her in the back of my car, but I had my dog with me. And I would’ve carried her, but then I saw the ALDI trolley and thought that would be a bit easier! Fortunately, according to Elmore, “She was very happy to be picked up and rescued. Male koalas can be a little more feisty, but she was relaxed in the trolley and was happy for me to move her around. “I only had to push her about 100 metres until we got to a bit of bushland. Then she went into someone’s backyard and up a tree. “It was a happy ending.” As for the video, Elmore said, “I didn’t even know I’d been photographed until I saw the video! I can see that it would’ve looked a little unusual. “But the trolley was just there to help out the koala, it was very handy!” Image: TikTok/Peter Elmore

Family & Pets

Hero dog honoured for saving over 100 koalas

Image: Nine News A former rescue dog who saved over 100 koalas during the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires has been honoured for his work in the United Kingdom. Bear, a six-year-old Australian koolie, was honoured by the International Fund for Animal Welfare at the House of Lords earlier this week. He appeared via video link to accept the award. Bear’s handler Romane Cristescy, of the University of the Sunshine Coast, couldn’t be prouder of the former rescue dog. “We think Bear really deserved this award,” she said. “He’s been such a good boy in helping us find and rescue a lot of koalas, especially during the bushfires but he works throughout the year to help us in our job to make a better and safer place for koalas. “We’ll give bear extra pats and extra play for his award.” Bear was one of two dogs honoured during the ceremony. Jasper, a cockapoo, won “Animal of the Year” for his work in supporting frontline NHS staff through the pandemic. Bear’s boundless energy made him a perfect candidate for the Detection Dogs for Conservation program at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He was trained to recognise the scent of koalas’ fur. Over the 2019-2020 bushfire season Bear is credited with saving 100 marsupials after the habitats were scorched. Once he’d detect their smell, Bear would drop silently to the ground at the base of the tree, to ensure it is not disturbed. A total of 33 people lost their lives in the fires which burned across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Three billion animals are estimated to have died over, 24 million hectares of land was burnt, and 3000 homes were lost.

Family & Pets

Adorable koalas rehomed after over-eating trees

Over 90 koalas have settled nicely into their new home after they ate all of their food sources in parts of Victoria. The marsupials were bundled into washing baskets and crates by wildlife rescuers, to be released into their new home in the Great Otway National Park, off the Great Ocean Road. 54 female koalas also received fertility control in order to slow population growth, during the relocation. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842328/koalas.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/086991c842e4458582969b2792c50ce1" /> Images: Yahoo Australia Victoria's environment department (DELWP) only allowed 32 koalas to remain on site, however a total of 46 male and 46 female koalas were trucked to the nearby land north of Lorne. They have been distributed throughout the land in lower numbers. DELWP has moved koalas in the region to avoid over-browsing of their favourite food, manna gums for six years. “It’s encouraging to see the manna gum trees at Cape Otway starting to recover – they’re in their best condition in ten years, with foliage returning and new saplings starting to grow,” a DELWP spokesperson said. “The health of the koala population is tracking well, much better than in previous years when the koalas had significantly depleted their food source, by stripping many manna gum trees of their leaves.”

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New “umbrella” species would massively improve conservation efforts

According to new research done by the University of Queensland, the introduction of “umbrella” species would massively improve conservation efforts. Umbrella species are species which when preserved indirectly protect many other animals and plant species. UQ PhD candidate Michelle Ward said different choices in Australia could provide more assistance for threatened species. “The Australian Federal Government’s umbrella prioritisation list identifies 73 species as conservation priorities,” she said. “But this only ends up benefiting six per cent of all Australia’s threatened terrestrial species. “This figure could be increased to benefit nearly half of all threatened terrestrial species for the same budget. “One of the main reasons is that many umbrella species are chosen based on their public appeal, rather than their efficiency for protecting other species – we want to change that.” Researchers investigated what umbrella species could maximise the flora and fauna benefitting from management while considering costs, actions and threats. “The koala, red goshawk, matted flax-lily and purple clover are more efficient umbrella species, yet none of these appear on the existing federal government priority species list,” she explained. “Australia has committed to prevent further extinction of known threatened species and improve their conservation status by 2020. “Yet, with limited funding committed to conservation, we need better methods to efficiently prioritise investment of resources.” Professor Hugh Possingham said that in a time of crisis, smart decision making was vital. “Now is precisely the time where governments need to get their investment in nature to be as efficient as possible,” he said. “Nations around the world can significantly improve the selection of umbrella species for conservation action by taking advantage of our transparent, quantitative and objective prioritisation approach. “With a species extinction crisis, looming international deadlines and limited conservation funding globally, we need better methods to efficiently prioritise investment of resources in species recovery.” The study, published in Conservation Biology (<a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2808599/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_aQlNZXn05sHJG_MdYR0Ar.html">DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13430</a>), was conducted by UQ, <a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2808600/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_a6jGpUsKkQsMprfjcLi0h.html">The Nature Conservancy</a>, the <a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2291364/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_aeAh0IAz4MZ87vQ.Ij7du.html">Wildlife Conservation Society</a> and the <a href="https://www.vision6.com.au/ch/50178/3ct4h/2808601/Ds2b._AP0gyT630EB6_aXgEzA0c2ovhFWY3HjXCB.html">United Nations Development Program</a>.

Domestic Travel

“I’ve got nothing to hide”: Man accused of koala massacre speaks out

The man accused of Victoria’s “koala massacre” has said he is not guilty of animal cruelty and will return to face the state’s “fascist” wildlife authorities. Investigators from Victoria’s Conservation Regulator were still carrying out their assessment on Thursday at a cleared gum tree plantation near Cape Bridgewater after scores of koalas were found injured or dead. More than 80 koalas have been assessed since Friday, and 30 were euthanised. The Victorian environment minister Lily D’Ambrosio said on Monday the event was “devastating” for the koala population in the Portland region and the government would do “everything possible” to hold the perpetrators accountable. “Every Victorian can rightly feel not only appalled, deeply saddened and heartbroken, but angry. I am absolutely angry,” D’Ambrosio said. “This can never be repeated.” The private property is run by Keith Troeth, who is working in NSW. “I’m not concerned because I’ve done nothing wrong,” Troeth told <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/koala-massacre-farmer-tells-of-death-threats/ar-BBZIjCB?li=AAgfYrC">The Age</a> on Thursday. “I’ll come back, I’ve got nothing to hide. “The fascists have yet to complete their investigations so until that happens, I won’t be making any more comment.” <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/koalas-starved-says-farmer-accused-of-portland-massacre-20200203-p53x7r.html" target="_blank">Earlier this week</a>, Troeth said a small number of animals might have died while the land was cleared with bulldozers in late January. “We made every effort to do it professionally, we made every effort to minimise any fatality,” he said. “There may have been one or two koalas killed and I’ll wear the responsibility, but it’s not the big hoo-ha it’s been made out to be.” D’Ambrosio said the government would consider breaches of the Wildlife Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Killing, harassing or disturbing wildlife could attract a penalty of up to $8,000 and an additional fine of more than $800 per head of wildlife under the Wildlife Act. A spokeswoman from the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning said the Conversation Regulator’s Major Investigations Unit remains on site to collect evidence and take witness statements.

Travel Trouble

Hundreds of koalas brutally murdered during routine logging

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES A few hundred of perhaps Australia’s most beloved animal, koalas, have reportedly been murdered in Victoria this week. Animals Australia has shared devastating images of injured and dead koalas who were “mowed down” after logging occurred 12km west of Portland. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> On becoming aware of this situation on Friday, we flew in a veterinary team from <a href="https://twitter.com/Vets_Compassion?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Vets_Compassion</a>. A second vet team was flown in to assist with the treatment of surviving animals yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/sSlF43IbLV">pic.twitter.com/sSlF43IbLV</a> — Animals Australia (@AnimalsAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnimalsAus/status/1223738890277646336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2020</a></blockquote> The species – who are now a threatened species after one of Australia’s worst bushfire season in recorded history – were hurt at a razed bluegum plantation. “Koalas are having their homes mowed down,” said Animals Australia. “On becoming aware of this situation on Friday, we flew in a veterinary team,” Animals Australia confirmed on Sunday morning. “With the support of local authorities and wildlife carers, vets are seeking to save as many of these precious animals as possible.” The details of this case are still unknown, Animals Australia confirmed on Sunday. “We are still gathering the details as to what has occurred in this case but it would appear that there are various breaches of legislation, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which we will be supporting authorities to pursue,” they said on social media. “By law, the companies that own these plantations must provide koala ‘spotters’ to identify koalas in trees before logging commences, so that animals can be safely removed and relocated. “There is also a legal responsibility to ensure the welfare of koalas after logging has ceased.” It is assumed that in result of the habitat destruction from bushfires, hundreds of koalas sought refuge on commercial property. “The logging of these forests then destroys precious habitat,” shared Animals Australia. Wildlife Victoria CEO Dr Megan Davidson said it was impossible to understand how the logging could happen if koalas were in them. “In these tragic cases, we are so sad not only for the animals, but also for the wildlife carers and vets who are on the ground dealing with the horrors of dead, broken, sick and orphaned animals,” Davidson said. “Here’s a thought,” shared Animals Australia. “How about instead of planting plantations then mowing them down, we should be planting blue gum and leaving them for koalas to live in.” The gruesome images have resulted in calls for change at a national level, with a <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.change.org/p/daniel-andrews-koala-massacres-portland-victoria?recruiter=743946376&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_petition&recruited_by_id=05242690-62d9-11e7-88b5-65895f00d004" target="_blank">Change.org petition</a> already up and running. “This barbaric practice needs to stop across the state and immediately,” the petition – directed to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews – reads. As reported by the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) there are less than 100,000 koalas left in the wild and the population could be in fact as low as 43,000. If Australia’s koala population falls below 50,000 it would be “functionally extinct”, the AKF said.

Family & Pets

Devastating scenes for wildlife rescuers at Kangaroo Island

Wildlife rescuers have been left heartbroken as they comprehend the sheer scale and task of helping injured wildlife that have been impacted by the bushfires. Wildlife rescuers were surrounded by burnt-out trees and ground covered with ash and dead animals who passed in the bushfires. Dozens of injured koalas have been arriving at Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park’s makeshift animal hospital in cat carriers, washing baskets or clinging to their carers. However, it’s not all positive as many that have been rescued are found to be so badly injured that they must be euthanised. Steve Selwood, South Australia Veterinary Emergency Management team leader at the hospital said that 46,000 koalas were thought to be on the island before the bushfires. “The fires here were particularly ferocious and fast moving, so we’re seeing a lot less injured wildlife than in other fires,” he tells <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/wildlife-rescuers-find-signs-of-life-among-kangaroo-island-devastation/news-story/869a45d590338135af1254b4f6ec1176">news.com.au</a>. “A lot of the wildlife was incinerated.” With almost half of Kangaroo Island being ruined by fire, an estimated 80 per cent of koala habitat has been wiped out, which means that once the koalas are healed, they have nowhere to go. This issue is on the backburner as teams of vets work to save as many native wildlife as they can.

Domestic Travel

Koalas are the face of Australian tourism: what now after the fires?

In 1936, <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/201215302?searchTerm=Koala%20as%20tourist%20attraction&searchLimits=">The Evening News in Rockhampton wrote</a>: <blockquote> The time has arrived when Australians must decide whether or not they will accept responsibility for the perpetuation of the koala […] It seems extraordinary that this animal which is so greatly admired, not only by overseas visitors, but by Australians, is being allowed to suffer extinction. </blockquote> The preservation of the koala was not talked about so much in environmentalist terms: instead, the koala was seen as a crucial icon of Australian identity and tourism. The earliest picture postcard featuring a koala I have found was postmarked 1903, and it has been a mainstay of tourism advertising ever since. In the latest ad from Tourism Australia, the koala has been recruited, <a href="https://twitter.com/Australia/status/1209852669281669122">once again, to market Australia</a>, starring alongside Kylie Minogue, chilling in a graceful eucalyptus on Sydney Harbour. But amid Australia’s ongoing bush fire crisis, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/out-of-respect-kylie-minogue-matesong-tourism-australia-ad-pulled-amid-bushfire-coverage-20200103-p53opl.html">airing of the digital ad has been “paused”</a>. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/27/australias-environment-minister-says-up-to-30-of-koalas-killed-in-nsw-mid-north-coast-fires">Up to 30% of the koala population</a> from the NSW mid-north coast is expected to be lost in the fires, alongside <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/kangaroo-island-bushfire-pristine-wildlife-including-koalas-dunnarts-feared-lost/news-story/9a5cbde8e5e4643a93035d12110204e9">50% of the koalas on Kangaroo Island</a> – the last remaining wild population not infected by deadly chlamydia. Eighty four years on from the Evening News’ story, we are still talking about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/world/australia/koala-fires-functionally-extinct.html">the possible extinction of koalas</a>, our national tourism icon. The creation of an icon Koalas were exhibited at Melbourne Zoo from 1861 and at Taronga Zoo from 1914. But at the same time, koalas were hunted ruthlessly for fur <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1523-1739.2000.99382.x">throughout much of the 19th century</a>. This practice only came to a halt at the end of the 1920s. By the 1930s, three koala-themed wildlife parks – the Koala Park in Pennant Hills, Sydney, Lone Pine Koala Park on the Brisbane River and the Adelaide Snake Park and Koala Farm – had opened for business. 1933 saw the publication of Dorothy Wall’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1455149.Blinky_Bill?from_search=true&qid=8noWFQRKGJ&rank=1">Blinky Bill</a>. Zoologist Ellis Troughton’s book <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furred_Animals_of_Australia">Furred Animals of Australia</a> (1931) and natural historian Charles Barrett, with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Koala-Story-Australias-Native-Bear/dp/1440495815">Koala: The Story of the Native Bear</a> (1937), also influenced public attitudes towards the native animal. In 1934, <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28019823?searchTerm=Koala%20Park%20an%20Australian%20sanctuary&searchLimits=l-title=35">the Sydney Morning Herald called</a> the koala “Australia’s national pet”. Perhaps most famously, it was the star of a <a href="https://360.advertisingweek.com/why-does-this-koala-hate-qantas-airways">Qantas advertising campaign</a> from 1967 to 1992. The loss of a tourism icon A <a href="https://www.savethekoala.com/sites/savethekoala.com/files/uploads/Conrad%202014%20The%20Economic%20Value%20of%20the%20Koala%5B2%5D.pdf">2014 study</a> suggests koala tourism could now be worth as much as A$3.2 billion to the Australian economy and account for up to 30,000 jobs. In 2020, Australia has 68 zoos and wildlife parks exhibiting just under 900 koalas. A photograph with a koala is a must-have souvenir for many international tourists. But it is impossible to look at Kylie hanging out with her koala mates without bringing to mind the shocking images of badly burned koalas and other wildlife as the devastating wild fires destroy millions of hectares of bushland habitat. The plump, relaxed, pampered koalas in the Tourism Australia ad are far removed from the horrific realities of fire. These catastrophic fires have compounded the threatening processes that already affect koala populations: habitat destruction and fragmentation, disease, car accidents and dog attack. Recent research has shown koalas are also <a href="https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/import/downloads/fact_sheet_red_list_koala_v2.pdf">vulnerable to climate change</a> through changes in the nutritional status of eucalyptus leaves, excessively hot temperatures and these canopy-destroying wildfires. A life beyond extinction? Australians have clearly shown they are willing to take action to protect the animal, with the <a href="https://10daily.com.au/news/australia/a191119bdupl/koala-bushfire-gofundme-second-most-successful-aussie-fundraiser-of-all-time-20191129">GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital</a> raising almost A$2 million. The outpouring of emotion and financial support reflects the strong connection that Australians feel for the koala, formed out of the interplay of the animal’s baby-like features and its multitude of representations in popular culture, including, of course, tourism marketing. Sadly, it is more than likely the koala will go on serving the national interest through its role in tourism even if it was to tragically <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-report-claims-koalas-are-functionally-extinct-but-what-does-that-mean-116665">go extinct</a> in the wild. Most koala tourism is based on experiences with captive koalas. And extinction hasn’t been a problem elsewhere: Tasmanian Tourism uses a stylised image of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tasmanian-tigers-were-going-extinct-before-we-pushed-them-over-the-edge-88947">thylacine</a> in its logo. The long term survival of the koala ultimately rests with governments and their policies on forest clearing, fire management and climate change. If future tourists to Australia are to experience the koala in the wild, it is imperative that governments act now to strengthen the protection of the species and most crucially, its habitat.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129347/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kevin-markwell-170986">Kevin Markwell</a>, Professor in Tourism, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/koalas-are-the-face-of-australian-tourism-what-now-after-the-fires-129347">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

Koala Hospital overwhelmed with support after fires

The devastating impact the bushfires are having on Australia has been heard across the world, motivating thousands of people to help firefighters, communities and animals by donating money. The generosity of those wanting to help has resulted in crowd-funding website GoFundMe seeing its biggest campaign to date, according to the organisations Year in Giving report. A little under $2 million has been raised to help Port Macquarie Koala Hospital save the lives of the injured marsupials who were burnt in the bushfires, making it the biggest Aussie GoFundMe ever. Other campaigns that have topped the list this year include a fund for Australian Survivor contestant, Luke Toki, which raised over $550,000 and the “Free Her” campaign aimed at amending laws that see people who are unable to pay fines face jail time, which raised more than $460,000. The top 10 Australian GoFundMe campaigns for 2019 <ol> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thirsty-koalas-devastated-by-recent-fires" target="_blank">Help thirsty koalas from fires </a>– more than 44.3k donations raising $1,986,530</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/luke-toki-australias-true-survivor" target="_blank">Luke Toki: Australia’s true survivor </a>– more than 16.1k donations raising $550,390</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/bfvnvt-freethepeople" target="_blank">Free Her</a> – more than 9.1k donations raising $460,368</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/forlove-aus" target="_blank">For Love</a> – more than 5.8k donations raising $275,155</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/singleton-family-devasted-by-fire" target="_blank">Singleton family devastated by fire </a>– more than 5k donations raising $275,011</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/1twnffjfg0" target="_blank">The Blueboys 2019 Christmas Appeal </a>– more than 4.1k donations raising $153,907</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/eleanorsfight" target="_blank" title="www.gofundme.com">Eleanor’s Fight </a>– more than 3.5k donations raising $329,080</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/money-for-eggboi" target="_blank">Money for Eggboi </a>– more than 3.3k donations raising $80,241</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/markosmile" target="_blank">Marko’s smile</a> – more than 3.2k donations raising $250,107</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/navar-herbert039s-journey-home" target="_blank">Navar Herbert’s journey home </a>– more than 3.2k donations raising $117,090</li> </ol> Over 44,000 donors from 95 different countries have helped raise money for the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, which has so far cared for 31 koalas brought in from bushfire affected areas. “The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has been overwhelmed by the kindness, good wishes and support from the Australian and international community for the wildlife icon, the koala,” wrote the hospital. “The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, and National Parks and Wildlife Service crew leaders, have spent weeks searching for koalas following the devastating bushfires in the Port Macquarie area.” The original target for the campaign was $25,000, but after surpassing that amount, they can now make bigger plans. “The number of drinking stations being built has now been increased and they will be shared with other wildlife organisations in fire affected regions across New South Wales. Two are being built for dispatch to the Northern Rivers fire area next week,” the page reads. “We are also purchasing a water carrying vehicle with fire fighting capabilities to replenish the drinking stations with water as needed. “Donations have now reached an incredible amount and we are extending the project to establish a wild koala breeding program.” All in all thanks to the generosity of people, an incredible amount of money has been raised for the bushfires.

Money & Banking

Lewis the koala put to sleep in hospital after horrific bushfire burns

The 14-year-old buck who made international headlines after footage emerged of him coming out of the NSW bushfires with horrifying burns, has died. Lewis the koala was rescued by a heroic grandmother who carried him in her arms and the heartbreaking moment sent hearts racing around the world. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has shared sad news on Tuesday afternoon, saying staff made the decision to put him to sleep. “We placed him under general anaesthesia this morning to assess his burns injuries and change the bandages,” the hospital said in a post at about 2.30pm. The hospital said Lewis’ burns became worse “and unfortunately “would not have gotten better”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> UPDATE: Lewis, the koala who went viral in this daring rescue video, has died at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital <a href="https://t.co/RshwIOyvyn">https://t.co/RshwIOyvyn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPLewis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPLewis</a> <a href="https://t.co/nsdOVVAI0U">pic.twitter.com/nsdOVVAI0U</a> — NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1199342797469425664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2019</a></blockquote> “The Koala Hospital’s number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made,” it read. $1.66 million in donations streamed in for the hospital after Lewis’ sad rescue went viral. Grandmother Toni Doherty was filmed ripping the shirt off her back near Long Flat in NSW to save the wailing koala. The 14-year-old suffered burns to his feet, stomach and chest. Named “Ellenborough Lewis” after Toni’s grandchild, or Lewis for short, he had been receiving care by long-term home care volunteer and koala hospital supervisor, Barb. “Barb hand feeds Lewis a single leaf at a time, with feeding taking up to an hour a feed,” the hospital said on Friday. “Lewis’s prognosis is guarded as he sustained significant burns however he is receiving the best possible care.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832794/koala-lewis.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8dba411c87ee48d3aa0091b70f4a008e" /> Lewis was just one of 31 koalas brought into the hospital from fire-grounds in the surrounding area, and an estimate of 350 koalas was killed as a result of the horrific bushfires. There are grave concerns from wildlife rescuers that there is a “much worse” toll of about 1000 koalas across NSW, Queensland and South Australia who were killed. Toni’s husband Peter Doherty told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nine.com.au/" target="_blank">Nine</a> they “were there this morning” when Lewis died. “We are naturally very sad about this, as we were hoping he’d pull through but we accept his injuries were severe and debilitating and would have been quite painful,” Mr Doherty said. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is part of a not-for-profit organisation established in 1973. They operate with four staff members and rely on the help of 140 volunteers. According to its website, the hospital has a treatment room, eight intensive care units, six outdoor intensive care units and 33 rehabilitation yards. In total, they handle between 200 and 250 koalas every year.

Family & Pets

Dozens of koalas burned in bushfire nursed back to health in couple’s home

Paul and Christeen McLeod are sharing their home on the New South Wales mid-north coast with 24 koalas. The couple have been running a welfare refuge for injured koalas in Taree since 1993 and due to the intense NSW bushfires, have spent the last few days tending to as many of the marsupials as they can. With their local community being affected by the bushfires, the McLeods created a makeshift emergency room for their increasing number of furry patients. Many of the animals have arrived at their operation, Koalas In Care, with severe burns to their bodies, as they now undergo careful treatment by the couple that involves cleaning off soot and applying cream. In the midst of the Hillville fires, an adult male koala was rescued on Sunday and came to couple in a critical state. “This poor fellow has been in the thick of it all,” said Ms McLeod. “He’s severely burnt. His fur’s singed, all of his paws are burnt, his nose is burnt and his ears are burnt. “At the moment we’ve got him lightly sedated. We’ve tended to his injuries. Now it’s a wait-and-see if he responds to treatment. He’s got a long road in front of him.” Because of his dusty appearance, they’ve named him Sootie. And it seems he’s slowly recovering, as a day later his appetite was returning as he ate some eucalyptus leaves from his laundry basket. Another koala named Judy was also rescued from fires at Hillville on Sunday, but despite not suffering from serious burns, she’s dealing with an entirely different challenge. “She’s been pretty fortunate in that she doesn’t seem to have suffered burns to her feet (but) her fur is singed in various places,” said Ms McLeod, The koala is dealing with “wet bottom” – an incredibly painful and potentially fatal condition that’s common amongst the marsupials. “We’ll see how she fares over the coming days undergoing treatment for wet bottom and probably some smoke inhalation.” Scroll through the gallery to see the koalas in care.

Domestic Travel

Australia’s animal extinction crisis “inevitable” under current conservation laws

A Senate inquiry report recently released painted a grim picture for the native animals of the native Australian landscape. The report explained that the current approach to wildlife protection was “incapable” of stopping the spiralling rates of extinction and recommended a “complete overhaul” of legislation. Suzanne Milthrope, national nature campaign manager at the Wilderness Society, said that three native species have been wiped out in the last decade. “The evidence is clear — Australia is in an extinction crisis,” Ms Milthorpe said to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/conservation/australias-animal-extinction-crisis-worsening-and-inevitable-under-current-conservation-laws/news-story/7c19cb36c26de897c95477a07567f889">news.com.au</a>. “We’re number two in the world for species loss, and if we keep turning a blind eye to major threats to wildlife like deforestation, even iconic animals like the koala will go.” The World Wildlife Fund said that the equivalent of 14 football fields of habitat for koalas is bulldozed every day in NSW. WWF- Australia conservationist Stuart Blanch said that there are currently less than 20,000 koalas left in NSW and they are set to be extinct in the state by 2050. “Koalas will disappear from NSW unless the state increases legal protections of mature forests and woodlands,” Dr Blanch said. “It is a wakeup call for our east coast to appear alongside notorious forest destruction hot spots such as the Amazon, Congo Basin, Sumatra and Borneo,” WWF-Australia boss Dermot O’Gorman said. The Senate has called for an independent environmental protection authority with powers and funding to enforce compliance with laws. Ms Milthorpe agrees. “We welcome the recommendation for strong national environment laws that can actually stop the threats to wildlife and an independent watchdog with teeth to enforce them,” Ms Milthorpe said. “But we need more than recommendations. Positive action on the environment is showing up as a huge issue in both national polls and the recent NSW election. “What that tells us is neither party can be a credible candidate for government without having detailed, costed policies on how they’ll deal with major causes of extinction, like the legacy of 200 years of inappropriate deforestation and the worsening impacts of climate change.”

Domestic Travel

Death of an Aussie icon? Koalas facing extinction by 2050

The government should take immediate action to prevent koala extinction, the World Wildlife Fund has urged, as numbers of the iconic Aussie animal continue to drop. According to the WWF, koala populations have rapidly declined in New South Wales and Queensland due to excessive tree-clearing. “Australia is the only developed country home to an internationally-recognised ‘deforestation hotspot’,” said WWF’s International President Pavan Sukhdev. “The rate of tree clearing in Australia’s east is comparable to the destruction taking place in the Amazon and Borneo … The world is watching to see how Australia will respond to koalas being driven towards extinction due to excess tree clearing.” The <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/05/global-deforestation-hotspot-3m-hectares-of-australian-forest-to-be-lost-in-15-years" target="_blank">Guardian</a> reported that Queensland clears more land every year than the rest of Australia combined together, with 395,000 hectares or more than 1,500 football fields worth of woodland being cleared in 2015-16 in the state. Meanwhile in NSW, only 9 per cent of the land is in a healthy or near-natural condition, according to Daisy Barham from the Nature Conservation Council of NSW. While there is no widely-accepted number of total populations, there is a consensus among experts and authorities that koala numbers are falling. A 2018 WWF report claimed that koala population has declined from 31,400 to 21,000 between 1990 and 2010. It projected that if current trends continue, koalas may be extinct by 2050. However, the Australian Koala Foundation said it is “<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.savethekoala.com/our-work/how-akf-and-government-got-their-numbers" target="_blank">practically impossible</a>” to get an accurate count in the wildlife. Richard Kingsford, a professor of environmental science at the University of NSW also told the <a href="https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/5963835/nationals-koala-numbers-laid-bare/?cs=7">AAP FactCheck</a> that the 2050 prediction is “blunt” and could not yet be determined. A <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/5963835/nationals-koala-numbers-laid-bare/?cs=7" target="_blank">senate report</a> nevertheless confirmed that the numbers of koala had “undergone marked decline over three generations”. The WWF has offered to work with governments and communities to halt the koala decline. The issue on koala preservation has become a contentious topic ahead of the NSW election this Saturday as the candidates for the Coffs Harbour electorate debate the need for a Great Koala National Park in the area.

News

The sad reason Australia's dwindling koala population is under threat

The NSW Government has revealed its 'road kill' numbers are increasing per year despite having special tunnels, bridges and fencing in place to avoid coming into contact with wildlife. One of the many incidents where an innocent koala was killed, took place was in 2017 and it was recorded on video. The heartbreaking footage shows a young koala trapped inside St Helena tunnel, near Byron Bay in NSW, as it attempts to crawl to safety but sadly does not make it in time. The driver, who refused to follow tunnel operators’ instructions as they attempted to save the koala’s life, merges into the closed lane, giving the poor koala no chance. The video, which is one of many in the ‘road kill’ files belonging to the State Government, was obtained under freedom of information laws from NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). The files, which highlight where koalas are being killed around NSW, includes five years of incident reports from the Pacific Highway, where 68 koalas have been killed to date. With dozens of koalas being killed every year, their population is lessening on the NSW north coast, and they are being classified as ‘locally endangered’. The video shows the event that happened after an RMS tunnel operator saw “something flapping” on a surveillance camera. The operator realised the object was an injured koala after zooming in to the footage. The report states that around 3:00am: “The tunnel operators turned the UHF radio on Channel 29 and questioned why the truck driver had disobeyed traffic directions and ran over the animal. [The] truck driver brushed it off stating there is no need to rescue the animal now.” The tunnel was then shut down for incoming traffic as rescue volunteers attempted to recover the koala's body. According to the <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-13/nsw-government-road-kill-files-reveal-states-koala-plight/10088916" target="_blank">ABC</a>, no charges were made against the truck driver for failing to listen to instructions or for killing the koala. Have you ever hit a wild animal by accident whilst driving? Share your story with us in the comments below.

News

These cute koala joeys are learning how to climb

On the spectrum of Australian national animals, they <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/2017/06/australia-zoo-welcomes-koala-joey/" target="_blank">don’t come much cuter than koala joeys</a>. Especially koala joeys that are still coming to grips with how the world works. In this video, shared by the folks at the koala hospital at Magnetic Island, Queensland, a pair of baby koalas are getting ready to jump into the big world of climbing trees. But first, they need a bit of practice. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbeesandkoalas%2Fvideos%2F1987177321537942%2F&show_text=0&width=476" width="476" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> The koala joeys, named Stormy and Curious George, showcase their climbing skills on their careers legs, which are cleverly substituted for trees by these marsupials. How cute! What’s your favourite Australian animal? Hero image credit: Facebook/Magnetic Island Koala Hospital via Storyful

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New technology to keep track of koalas during bushfire season

WIRES to launch new Koala rescue course

Free kids’ book raising money for koalas

Australia's cutest marsupials are now an endangered species

Quick thinking man uses ALDI trolley to rescue trapped koala

Hero dog honoured for saving over 100 koalas

Adorable koalas rehomed after over-eating trees

New “umbrella” species would massively improve conservation efforts

“I’ve got nothing to hide”: Man accused of koala massacre speaks out

Hundreds of koalas brutally murdered during routine logging

Devastating scenes for wildlife rescuers at Kangaroo Island

Koalas are the face of Australian tourism: what now after the fires?

Koala Hospital overwhelmed with support after fires

Lewis the koala put to sleep in hospital after horrific bushfire burns

Dozens of koalas burned in bushfire nursed back to health in couple’s home

Australia’s animal extinction crisis “inevitable” under current conservation laws

Death of an Aussie icon? Koalas facing extinction by 2050

The sad reason Australia's dwindling koala population is under threat

These cute koala joeys are learning how to climb

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

New technology to keep track of koalas during bushfire season

WIRES to launch new Koala rescue course

Free kids’ book raising money for koalas

Australia's cutest marsupials are now an endangered species

Quick thinking man uses ALDI trolley to rescue trapped koala

Hero dog honoured for saving over 100 koalas

Adorable koalas rehomed after over-eating trees

New “umbrella” species would massively improve conservation efforts

“I’ve got nothing to hide”: Man accused of koala massacre speaks out

Hundreds of koalas brutally murdered during routine logging

Devastating scenes for wildlife rescuers at Kangaroo Island

Koalas are the face of Australian tourism: what now after the fires?

Koala Hospital overwhelmed with support after fires

Lewis the koala put to sleep in hospital after horrific bushfire burns

Dozens of koalas burned in bushfire nursed back to health in couple’s home

Australia’s animal extinction crisis “inevitable” under current conservation laws

Death of an Aussie icon? Koalas facing extinction by 2050

The sad reason Australia's dwindling koala population is under threat

These cute koala joeys are learning how to climb

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