Aug2014_KOALA ACTION
viewpoint from Koala Action Inc.
Thirty plus koalas have been displaced by the destruction of koala habitat at Lawnton Lakes Estate. They have moved into trees along the North Pine River and Lawnton Pocket Road which they are subsequently over browsing. They cannot move out of the site safely because the koalas are surrounded by high density residential habitat and/or busy main roads.
Wanda Grabowski, Secretary of Koala Action Inc. recently sent an email to Andrew Powell, Minister for the Environment and to Councillors and staff of the Moreton Bay Regional Council requesting that reason and science prevail and to voice ongoing concerns from members about the situation for the koalas at this location. Clearly Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC) in spite of their earlier statements do not have the resources, capital, staff and time to successfully relocate those koalas properly. MBRC have put themselves into a difficult situation by attempting to handle this issue on their own. The Mayor, CEO, Councillors and staff have totally underestimated the complexity of the situation and the expenses involved in ensuring the relocation is successful.
At the last Council meeting with koala stakeholders it appeared that MBRC was handing over responsibility to the DEHP thereby absolving themselves of any major responsibilities and hoping that DEHP could provide a solution. Wanda believes that the State Government (DEHP) seems to think that they can just do the basics of approving the removal of the koalas, checking the relocation sites at Brian Burke Nature Reserve in Samford and Forgan Road in Warner and providing free health checks without any form of monitoring or accountability regarding the koala’s long term survival.
This is an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PROJECT and should meet very rigorous scientific standards so that ALL INFORMATION COLLECTED, BOTH GOOD AND BAD, COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ON THE TRANSLOCATION OF URBAN KOALAS in particular. On behalf of KAI Wanda voiced many concerns about the sites located so close to the koala’s former home range and within the urban footprint. Initially, tender applications were requested by Council for experts to undertake the relocation. After the tender applications arrived MBRC felt the costs were too high and cancelled the whole process.
KAI is very concerned that the use of ear tags was not considered by Council. Coloured ear tags (specific to the Lawnton Lakes koalas being monitored) should have been an essential component. Not only do they provide instant recognition of the koala belonging to the project that any member of the public can identify and provide information on, it also provides information on the sex of the koala immediately (males are always tagged in their left ear and females in their right).
The use of radio tracking collars and appropriate monitoring twice weekly for at least six months was requested to ensure a successful relocation. The state of technology now available ensures that GPS collars can be programmed to provide the researchers with the latest fix location of an animal which reduces searching as well as tracking time, making it cost efficient. They cost around $1500 per collar, so that is not really a consideration to project costs in terms of the benefits. These collars could also be recycled for other projects and/or leased from other groups undertaking this type of activity.
KAI has pointed out that local and state government are paid by developers to provide specific services, they will also garner funds from the residents who purchase the properties so money is coming in but none of it is going to the koalas. Phillip Usher the developer in question has provided no financial input into the project other than analysing the soil to ensure that the death of some of the koala food trees is not a result of contamination and offering to replant additional trees along the river.
It is critical that the processes involved with the Lawnton Lakes Estate koala relocation outcomes be properly reported on. This unfortunate situation needs to be reviewed as soon as possible. The circumstances of the Lawnton koalas will be a first case model that may provide a framework in which future relocations within the urban footprint are undertaken. This means that it is essential the entire plan including ongoing management and detailing outcomes be undertaken in a manner considered to be scientifically rigorous, informative, open and transparent.
If ear tags and radio tracking collars are not used, there is no way to ascertain whether the Koalas are successfully integrated into the new area.
Wanda (aka Vanda) Grabowski
President/Secretary, Koala Action Inc.
Ph: 0407 101 837
THE 24 HOUR KOALA RESCUE HOTLINE IS:
0401 080 333.
