- Koala sightings can now be reported via a free Koala QWildlife app
- The data and information will help improve conservation and management of koalas
- The Palaszczuk Government has also provided $520,000 for six applied research projects to protect and conserve koala habitat and populations
A new app is allowing members of the public to act as citizen scientists by reporting koala sightings and providing accurate location and population data.
Environment Minister Leanne Linard and Member for Springwood Mick de Brenni launched the app today during a visit to the Daisy Hill Koala Centre.
The app is based on the highly successful QWildlife Crocodile Sighting App, which helps the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service improve the management of crocodiles.
When members of the public spot a koala while enjoying our national parks, state forests and bushlands, or in our urban areas, they can simply upload the details and a photo to the QWildlife Koala Sighting App.
Koala sightings data from the app will provide a better understanding about where koalas live and how they use their environment, and will help support important koala research, conservation and management actions.
The Minister also announced $520,000 in grants for six projects that support long-term koala conservation in South East Queensland.
The projects include koala population monitoring, the use of artificial intelligence to help build a road safety monitoring network, thermal drone surveys and habitat connectivity.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Environment and Science Leanne Linard:
“The koala is one of Australia’s most iconic and much-loved species however, despite comprehensive protection strategies, koalas are listed as endangered in Queensland.
“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to protecting and conserving koala populations and their habitat, and the new QWildlife Koala Sighting App is proof of our dedication to the environment and all our magnificent native species.
“The app gives the public an opportunity to work with our Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers and researchers by providing valuable information on where koalas are living.
“The 2023/24 State Budget also includes $17.3 million to extend and accelerate conservation of koalas in South East Queensland as part of our South East Queensland Koala Strategy 2020-2025.
“The strategy seeks to boost koala populations by increasing the area and level of protection given to koalas in the south-east corner, restoring koala habitat and mitigating threats they face.
“The Palaszczuk Government has also provided vital funding of $3 million this year to the South East Queensland Wildlife Network, which rehabilitates and returns koalas to the wild.
“The network includes the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital and the department’s own Moggill Koala Rehabilitation Centre.
“I encourage Queenslanders to download the QWildlife Koala Sighting App and report sightings of koala populations in your local area.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Springwood Mick de Brenni:
“Our community has always taken the commitment to protecting koala populations seriously, and we have always fought to protect them by expanding their habitat, introducing strong protections, as well as educating Queenslanders at our Daisy Hill Koala Centre.
“The koala is not just the official emblem of our great state, it’s symbolic of the heritage of our local community, and a legacy that I will continue to defend for the benefit of future generations.”
Quotes attributable to Peter Reyne, Consulting Manager, Software developer GP One:
“Our software developers enjoyed working on the rewarding project that would collect information and statistics about koala locations and health.
“The idea is to get better, more centralised reporting and information about koalas.
“The adoption and downloading of the app will increase sightings coming in from the public and wildlife rescue organisations and will contribute to saving the lives of our endangered koalas.”
Quotes attributable to Professor Jun Zhou, Research leader, Griffith University:
“We are developing an AI-based monitoring facility to monitor the koalas’ road crossing behaviours, so we can analyse how many koalas are crossing the road using underground pathways or the above-road crossings.
“This project will extend our innovative AI-powered koala monitoring system to cover wider areas of koala habitat in South East Queensland, and engage 10 local councils and community groups to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the camera network.
“Previously, cameras have been set up to monitor the koala crossings but the captured videos had to be manually checked to see whether the animals filmed using the crossings were koalas or other species.
“Now, with AI, this technology is powerful enough to recognise koalas generally, but identify which individual koalas are using the crossings.”
