Evidence of an important koala population in Kosciuszko National Park has been uncovered following surveys by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Australian National University (ANU).
Welcoming the news, Minister for Environment, James Griffin said it came after surveys were conducted in November 2021 and February 2022 that recorded male koalas at 14 sites within the National Park’s Byadbo Wilderness Area.
“This is good news because, until these recent surveys, there had only been 16 recorded sightings of koalas in Kosciuszko in more than 80 years,” Mr Griffin said.
“This exciting news provides hope that Kosciuszko National Park may be a refuge for this iconic species,” he said.
“From here, we need to better understand the population and the impact this discovery could have on the survival of the species.”
Mr Griffin said that in addition to the koalas, the NPWS and ANU surveys unveiled a host of other declining species, including recordings of the southern greater glider and the yellow-bellied glider.
Ecologist at ANU, David Lindenmayer said researchers who’d collected and analysed the data believed Kosciuszko National Park may host a significant koala population, although at low densities.
“These findings are important because of the area’s elevation, which we hope will make the populations more resilient to climate change,” Professor Lindenmayer said.
“The project involved using 100 passive acoustic recorders and spotlight surveys.”
