The Victorian government sat on a report for more than 12 months that found the state’s koala population was in chronically poor health. The review of the state’s koala populations, led by state science agency the Arthur Rylah Institute in conjunction with scientists from major universities, was completed for the Victorian government in June 2025. […]
Tag: Koalas
They’re one of the weirdest type of animals on the planet, famous for their pouches, but what on Earth are marsupials and why do they have pouches?
What are marsupial? Do all of them have pouches – and while we are on that subject – why are pouches needed? All you need to know about the fascinating group of animals known as marsupials. What are marsupials? Marsupials are pouched mammals and are a group of mammals that most of us probably associate […]
There are too many koalas in South Australia. Scientists have a solution – but it could cost millions
Research published in Ecology and Evolution estimates that the koala population in South Australia’s Mount Lofty Ranges accounts for about 10 per cent of all koalas in Australia – and this density could threaten the long-term survival of the species. To evaluate how this population density could affect future koala populations, scientists combined advanced spatial modelling with thousands of citizen science […]
How AI could save koalas
A new AI-powered camera system could make road crossings less of a nightmare for koalas. Koalas face multiple threats to their survival including deforestation, urbanization, diseases and bushfires. As humans encroach into their habitats, they are forced to cross roads to move across fragmented forests. Because of this, vehicle strikes have also become a major […]
Poop pills and gut microbes: Wildlife microbiome studies aid conservation
Human microbiome research is a blossoming field of study, shedding light on the millions of microbes living within us — microscopic species frequently vital to our health. In tandem, researchers across the globe have also been delving into the microbes living inside wildlife in hopes of developing a new conservation and rewilding tool. Early research […]
Ambitious Rewilding Project for Koala and Platypus Undertaken by Sydney’s Taronga Zoo
An Australian zoo credited with saving 7 native species from extinction aims to continue its vital work by rewilding a 3,050-acre tract of farmland. The aim of planting a Box-Gum tree fores across the cleared land that would act as a corridor to help connect existing wildlife habitats. The Taronga Zoo Conservation Society (TZCS) then […]
NSW koala numbers higher than previously thought, but new data may not show true picture
The first comprehensive koala survey conducted in New South Wales suggests populations of the endangered marsupial are higher than previously thought. The NSW government’s statewide survey, released on Thursday, estimates there are 274,000 koalas across the state. More than 1,000 locations across national parks, state forests and private land were surveyed, using new tools such […]
Australia to create a national park for 12,000 koalas
Few animals tug at Australian hearts like the koala. Yet the marsupial, once common along the eastern seaboard, was declared endangered in New South Wales (NSW) in 2022. Habitat loss, climate stress, and disease have driven populations down so far that a parliamentary inquiry warned they could vanish from the state before 2050. The proposed […]