Romance is in the air throughout the Redlands as koala breeding season begins, with male koalas on the move and looking for love between July and December.
With koalas migrating into new and unfamiliar territories in search for prospective mates, Redland City Mayor Karen Williams has urged the community to be mindful of the increased activity to help make sure there is no love lost.
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“In addition to breeding season, it is also the time of year when last year’s juvenile koalas leave their mothers to forge their own path and find their own homes,” Mayor Williams said.
“This means there is also greater movement amongst our younger and more inexperienced koala populations, so we all need to take extra care to keep them safe by adhering to speed limits on the roads, making sure our yards are koala friendly and keeping pets inside at night.”
“Don’t be surprised if you spot koalas in unexpected places or on your own properties as they explore new ground between July and December, and if you do make any koala sightings please notify Council,” Cr Williams said.
Mayor Williams also said people could register for a visit from the Koala Detection Dogs, a unique scientific tracking program, part of Council’s five-year Koala Conservation Action Plan.
“This project is a critical first step in understanding koala density, population size, survival rates, health and genetics, and identifying important koala habitat,” Cr Williams said.
“The detection dogs will be undertaking scat surveys throughout certain suburbs, but if you see koalas in your own backyard or have a koala tree on your property you can register for a visit by contacting the Koala Population Assessment Register at IndigiScapes,” she said.
To register for a visit by the Koala Detection Dogs contact the Koala Population Assessment Register at IndigiScapes on 3824-8611 or email [email protected]. Once registered a staff member will be in contact in the following weeks.
For more information about Council’s Koala Conservation Action Plan visit www.redland.qld.gov.au. Remember to look up whenever you’re walking around Redlands, you never know who you might see.
To help keep our koalas safe:
- Adhere to speed limits on the roads at all times, but especially at night.
- Keep yards koala friendly – put ‘scamper ramps’ in place to help koalas get up and over fences and out of swimming pools.
- Keep pets restrained or inside at night.
- Keep dogs on their leashes outside designated dog off-leash areas.
- Record all your Koala sightings on The Atlas of Living Australia ala.org.au available 24/7.
