Bunyah Koalas have partnered with Mid Coast Council and the Department of Primary Industries in a successful application for a WIRES grant to purchase 25 audio recorders to assess the population and movement dynamics of Koalas and Yellow-Bellied Gliders across our Project. We intend to complete these works on an annual basis so as to better understand the species preferred browsing areas as well as the longer-term impact of our farming for conservation program. This includes 15km of current and future riparian tree plantings as well as the installation of permanent arboreal wildlife waterers in the property’s dryer areas. The Grant covers the purchase of the recorders as well as the analysis and reporting of the baseline findings for the 2023 period. Future years will need to be independently funded.

Audio recording, coupled with statistical analysis and automatic call recognition is becoming a very useful tool to cost effectively identify and assess seasonally vocal populations such as Koalas, Yellow Bellied Gliders, Owls, Bats and Frogs. It’s exciting to be part of this emerging science.

The recorders will only be used on our Project for a few weeks each year and they will be retained by Mid Coast Council so they can move them around other properties for similar works. Anyone interested in completing a similar program on their property should reach out to Nick Coleman at Mid Coast Council (02) 7955 7761.

#Koalas; #farmingforconservation; #WIRES; #DPI, #Yellowbelliedglider, #MCC