The University of the Sunshine Coast leads a groundbreaking initiative to safeguard koalas through technology and community engagement.
A Technological Leap in Koala Monitoring
The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) secures a substantial grant to revolutionise koala conservation efforts through innovative technology and community engagement.
The $798,000 Australian Research Council funding fuels the ‘Koala Guardians’ project, introducing solar-powered Bluetooth ear tags and a user-friendly smartphone application.
Engaging Citizen Science for Koala Wellbeing
Led by Dr. Romane Cristescu, Director of UniSC’s Detection Dogs for Conservation (DDC), the project aims to involve the public actively in koala conservation.
Leveraging everyday technology like smartphones, the initiative encourages citizen scientists to report koala sightings and identify populations in decline or at risk.
Combating Koala Threats with Advanced Techniques
The project integrates drones for monitoring koala density and employs detection dogs to locate koala scats for scientific analysis.
Moreover, a phone app incentivizes users to recognise signs of koala diseases, especially chlamydia, a major threat to koalas in the studied population.
Collaborative Partnerships and Community Engagement
UniSC collaborates with Griffith University, local councils, research organisations, and wildlife rescue services to expand the project’s reach and impact.
Redland City Council’s Koala Conservation Program has been instrumental in mapping koala health, genetics, and density using cutting-edge technologies.
The Urgent Need to Protect Australia’s Iconic Species
With koalas facing endangered status and a survival rate of only 20% in the wild, UniSC’s project emerges as a beacon of hope.
Professor Helen Bartlett emphasises the critical importance of protecting this iconic species, aligning with UniSC’s ongoing efforts, including the development of a chlamydia vaccine for koalas.
