Koala
Research
You Yangs Koala Research Report 2019
Janine Duffy monitors wild koalas in two areas of the You Yangs Regional Park, Victoria Australia. This is a summary of the 2019 year.
Area monitored: 28% of the 2000 ha You Yangs Regional Park. Area 1 is 157 hectares. Area 2 is 223 hectares
Koala sightings: 1422 (up from in 2018)
Number of research days: 314 (up from 313 in 2018)
Average per day: 4.53 (up from 4.13 in 2018)
Number of koalas in total research area (Area 1 + Area 2) = 45 individuals (up from 43 in 2018).
Area 1 was home to 13 koalas. There were 0.08 koalas per hectare in area 1.
Area 2 was home to 32 koalas = 0.14 koalas per hectare in area 2.
Koalas joeys born in 2019: 6 (compared to 5 in 2018)
Number of breeding females: 23
Birth rate: 0.13 (calculated as number of births divided by total number of animals)
Fecundity: 0.26 (calculated as number of births divided by total number of breeding age females)
Koalas (known) deceased in 2019: 2 (compared to 3 in 2018) Note: this is a minimum figure. Most koala deaths are not found.
Death rate: 0.04 (calculated as number of deaths divided by total number of animals)
Note: an individual is counted if they are known, named & registered (ie seen in previous or later years), or if unknown & unnamed, if they are seen at least twice in that year.
You Yangs Koala Research Report 2018
Janine Duffy monitors wild koalas in two areas of the You Yangs Regional Park, Victoria Australia. This is a summary of the 2018 year.
Area monitored: 28% of the 2000 ha You Yangs Regional Park
Area 1 is 157 hectares
Area 2 is 223 hectares
Koala sightings: 1294
Up 16% on last year.
Number of research days: 313
Average koalas seen per day: 4.13
High months: December avg 5.77 koalas seen per day
Low months: September avg 2.84 koalas seen per day
Days with only 1 koala sighted: 11 (more likely in spring).
Highest number of koalas sighted on one day: 10 on 14 November 2018
Number of koalas in total research area (Area 1 + Area 2) = 43 individuals (same as 43 in 2017).
Koalas joeys born in 2018: 5
Birth rate: 0.12
Fecundity: 0.28
Koalas (known) deceased in 2018: 3
Note: this is a minimum figure. Most koala deaths are not found.
Death rate: 0.07
More details here: https://www.echidnawalkabout.com.au/you-yangs-koala-research-report-2018/
You Yangs Koala Research Report 2017
Janine Duffy monitors wild koalas in two areas of the You Yangs Regional Park, Victoria Australia. This is a summary of the 2017 year.
Area monitored: 28% of the 2000 ha You Yangs Regional Park
Area 1 is 157 hectares
Area 2 is 223 hectares
Koala sightings: 1118
Down 11% on last year.
Number of research days: 311
Average koalas seen per day: 3.6
High months: March avg 4.7 koalas seen per day
Low months: June avg 2.2 koalas seen per day
Days with only 1 koala sighted: 14 (more likely in winter).
Highest number of koalas sighted on one day: 14 on 17th November 2017
Number of koalas in total research area (Area 1 + Area 2) = 43 individuals
Koalas joeys born in 2017: 6
Birth rate 0.14
Fecundity 0.33
Koalas (known) deceased in 2017: 4
Death rate 0.09
More details here: https://www.echidnawalkabout.com.au/you-yangs-koala-research-report-2017/
Methods:
All koala monitoring is by visual observation only. Koalas are identified non-intrusively using my Koala Nose Pattern Identification method – once found a koala is photographed and viewed through binoculars at a distance of 10 metres away. All monitoring is conducted with Parks Victoria knowledge and approval.
Koala surveys are conducted throughout the year, in two areas of the You Yangs. From 2007 to March 2020 we did surveys 220 to 310 days per year. We recognise over 90% of the koalas we find by their nose patterns. Any koala that is seen more than once is included in our koala count. Over that many research days, we see nearly all the koalas that live in or visit the research area, so our counts are very reliable. See our Koala Count numbers here:
This project is funded by contributions from social enterprise Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours and offered freely to land managers, conservationists and the public. Koala Clancy Foundation uses this research to guide our koala tree planting and weed removal projects.
For more information about my methods, or to use any of my findings please contact Janine Duffy. president @ koalaclancyfoundation.org.au
Thanks to my team, Echidna Walkabout’s Koala Researchers, Wildlife Guides and tour guests who all contribute photographs, sightings and observations to the Wild Koala Research Project.
Read more and see some graphs here: https://koalaclancy.wordpress.com/2018/11/04/koala-population-decline-in-the-you-yangs-victoria/
You Yangs Koala Research Report 2016
Janine Duffy monitors wild koalas in two areas of the You Yangs Regional Park, Victoria Australia. This is a summary of the 2017 year.
Area researched: 28% of the 2000 ha You Yangs Regional Park.
Area 1 is 157 hectares
Area 2 is 223 hectares
Total koala sightings: 1265
up 5% on last year.
Research Days: 307
Average number of koalas seen per day: 4.1
High month: March average of 4.7 per day.
Low month: May average of 3.3 per day.
Number of koalas in total research area (Area 1 + Area 2): 38
Number of koala joeys born in 2016: 6 (highest ever)
Birth rate: 0.16
Fecundity: 0.32
Number of koalas found deceased: 3
Death rate: 0.08
