Scientific Information about Koalas
Contents
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Koala identification
Duffy, J., Stragliotto, T. and Mella, V.S., 2024. On the nose: validating a novel, non-invasive method to identify individual koalas using unique nose patterns. Wildlife Research, 51(11). https://doi.org/10.1071/WR24131
Koalas and Climate Change
Adams-Hosking, C., Grantham, H.S., Rhodes, J.R., McAlpine, C. and Moss, P.T., 2011. Modelling climate-change-induced shifts in the distribution of the koala. Wildlife Research, 38(2), pp.122-130. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR10156
Adams‐Hosking, C., McAlpine, C., Rhodes, J.R., Grantham, H.S. and Moss, P.T., 2012. Modelling changes in the distribution of the critical food resources of a specialist folivore in response to climate change. Diversity and Distributions, 18(9), pp.847-860. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2012.00881.x
Bickford, D., IUCN SSC CCSG, 2017. Climate change is hitting species hard – we should keep an eye on the most vulnerable. https://www.iucn.org/news/climate-change/201703/climate-change-hitting-species-hard-%E2%80%93-we-should-keep-eye-most-vulnerable
IUCN 2009. Species on climate change hit list named. https://www.iucn.org/content/species-climate-change-hit-list-named
Lunney, D., Crowther, M.S., Wallis, I., Foley, W.J., Lemon, J., Wheeler, R., Madani, G., Orscheg, C., Griffith, J.E., Krockenberger, M. and Retamales, M., 2012. Koalas and climate change: a case study on the Liverpool Plains, north-west New South Wales. Wildlife and Climate Change: towards robust conservation strategies for Australian Fauna’.(Eds D. Lunney and P. Hutchings.) pp, pp.150-168. https://doi.org/10.7882/FS.2012.022
Luz, M.L.A. and Cacho, O.J., Trade-Offs in Restoration Areas for Carbon and Koala Conservation. Available at SSRN 4571116. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4571116
McAlpine, C., Lunney, D., Melzer, A., Menkhorst, P., Phillips, S., Phalen, D., Ellis, W., Foley, W., Baxter, G., De Villiers, D. and Kavanagh, R., 2015. Conserving koalas: A review of the contrasting regional trends, outlooks and policy challenges. Biological Conservation, 192, pp.226-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.09.020
Reckless, H.J., Murray, M. and Crowther, M.S., 2018. A review of climatic change as a determinant of the viability of koala populations. Wildlife Research, 44(7), pp.458-470. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR16163
Koalas and fires
Baek, C., Woolford, L., Funnell, O., McLelland, J., Eddy, S., Stephenson, T. and Speight, N., 2023. Cutaneous and Respiratory Lesions in Bushfire-Affected Koalas. Veterinary Sciences, 10(11), p.658. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10110658
Bista, D., Allen, B., Baxter, G., Booth, R., Reardon-Smith, K., Gorecki, V. and Murray, P., 2024. Immediate impacts of fire on koala movement in a fragmented landscape. Global Ecology and Conservation, p.e03274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e03274
Chia, E.K., Bassett, M., Nimmo, D.G., Leonard, S.W., Ritchie, E.G., Clarke, M.F. and Bennett, A.F., 2015. Fire severity and fire‐induced landscape heterogeneity affect arboreal mammals in fire‐prone forests. Ecosphere, 6(10), pp.1-14. https://doi.org/10.1890/ES15-00327.1
Lane, M.R., Lowe, A., Vukcevic, J., Clark, R.G., Madani, G., Higgins, D.P., Silver, L., Belov, K., Hogg, C.J. and Marsh, K.J., 2023. Health Assessments of Koalas after Wildfire: A Temporal Comparison of Rehabilitated and Non-Rescued Resident Individuals. Animals, 13(18), p.2863. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182863
McDougall, F.K., Boardman, W.S., Speight, N., Stephenson, T., Funnell, O., Smith, I., Graham, P.L. and Power, M.L., 2023. Carriage of antibiotic resistance genes to treatments for chlamydial disease in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): A comparison of occurrence before and during catastrophic wildfires. One Health, p.100652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100652
Phillips, S., Wallis, K. and Lane, A., 2021. Quantifying the impacts of bushfire on populations of wild koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): Insights from the 2019/20 fire season. Ecological Management & Restoration, 22(1), pp.80-88. https://doi.org/10.1111/emr.12458
White, S., Ryan, M. and Spencer, R., Understanding the temporal effects of bushfire on the ecological communities in the Sydney basin using the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations as an umbrella species. https://researchers-admin.westernsydney.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/94859866/uws_69976.pdf
Zylstra, P., 2019. Fire regimes for risk management of koalas on the NSW Southern Tablelands. https://serca.org.au/research/2019/zylstra.pdf
Koalas & linear infrastructure (roads, railway lines)
Lunney, D., Predavec, M., Sonawane, I., Moon, C. and Rhodes, J.R., 2022. Factors that drive koala roadkill: an analysis across multiple scales in New South Wales, Australia. Australian Mammalogy, 44(3), pp.328-337. https://doi.org/10.1071/AM21040
McAlpine, C.A., Rhodes, J.R., Callaghan, J.G., Bowen, M.E., Lunney, D., Mitchell, D.L., Pullar, D.V. and Possingham, H.P., 2006. The importance of forest area and configuration relative to local habitat factors for conserving forest mammals: a case study of koalas in Queensland, Australia. Biological Conservation, 132(2), pp.153-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2006.03.021
McAlpine, C., Lunney, D., Melzer, A., Menkhorst, P., Phillips, S., Phalen, D., Ellis, W., Foley, W., Baxter, G., De Villiers, D. and Kavanagh, R., 2015. Conserving koalas: A review of the contrasting regional trends, outlooks and policy challenges. Biological Conservation, 192, pp.226-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.09.020
Neto, C.S., Can we help koalas survive our cities? A multi-prong approach to koala conservation in the urban environment (Doctoral dissertation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland). https://research.usc.edu.au/esploro/outputs/991067193902621
Rhodes, J.R., Lunney, D., Callaghan, J. and McAlpine, C.A., 2014. A few large roads or many small ones? How to accommodate growth in vehicle numbers to minimise impacts on wildlife. PLoS One, 9(3), p.e91093. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0091093
Taylor-Brown, A., Booth, R., Gillett, A., Mealy, E., Ogbourne, S.M., Polkinghorne, A. and Conroy, G.C., 2019. The impact of human activities on Australian wildlife. PloS one, 14(1), p.e0206958. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206958
Koalas and drought/heatwaves
Gordon, G., Brown, A.S. and Pulsford, T.J.A.J.E., 1988. A koala (Phascolarctos cinereus Goldfuss) population crash during drought and heatwave conditions in south‐western Queensland. Australian Journal of Ecology, 13(4), pp.451-461. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.1988.tb00993.x
Seabrook, L., McAlpine, C., Baxter, G., Rhodes, J., Bradley, A. and Lunney, D., 2011. Drought-driven change in wildlife distribution and numbers: a case study of koalas in south west Queensland. Wildlife Research, 38(6), pp.509-524. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR11064
Koalas and dogs
David, P., Rundle-Thiele, S., Pang, B., Knox, K., Parkinson, J. and Hussenoeder, F., 2019. Engaging the dog owner community in the design of an effective koala aversion program. Social Marketing Quarterly, 25(1), pp.55-68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500418821583
Lunney, D., Gresser, S., O’neill, L.E., Matthews, A. and Rhodes, J., 2007. The impact of fire and dogs on koalas at Port Stephens, New South Wales, using population viability analysis. Pacific Conservation Biology, 13(3), pp.189-201. https://doi.org/10.1071/PC070189
Rundle-Thiele, S., Pang, B., Knox, K., David, P., Parkinson, J. and Hussenoeder, F., 2019. Generating new directions for reducing dog and koala interactions: A social marketing formative research study. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 26(2), pp.173-187. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2019.1599740
Taylor-Brown, A., Booth, R., Gillett, A., Mealy, E., Ogbourne, S.M., Polkinghorne, A. and Conroy, G.C., 2019. The impact of human activities on Australian wildlife. PloS one, 14(1), p.e0206958. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206958
Koalas and revegetation
Cristescu, R.H., Rhodes, J., Frére, C. and Banks, P.B., 2013. Is restoring flora the same as restoring fauna? Lessons learned from koalas and mining rehabilitation. Journal of Applied Ecology, 50(2), pp.423-431. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12046
Kavanagh, R.P. and Stanton, M.A., 2012. Koalas use young Eucalyptus plantations in an agricultural landscape on the Liverpool Plains, New South Wales. Ecological Management & Restoration, 13(3), pp.297-305. https://doi.org/10.1111/emr.12005
Rhind, S.G., Ellis, M.V., Smith, M. and Lunney, D., 2014. Do koalas Phascolarctos cinereus use trees planted on farms? A case study from north-west New South Wales, Australia. Pacific Conservation Biology, 20(3), pp.302-312. https://doi.org/10.1071/PC140302
Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Koalas
Hagens, S.V., Rendall, A.R. and Whisson, D.A., 2018. Passive acoustic surveys for predicting species’ distributions: Optimising detection probability. PLoS One, 13(7), p.e0199396. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199396
Smith, A.P. and Pile, J., Koala density, habitat, conservation, and response to logging in eucalyptus forest; a review and critical evaluation of call monitoring. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2024.023
Koala vocalisations
Charlton, B.D., Frey, R., McKinnon, A.J., Fritsch, G., Fitch, W.T. and Reby, D., 2013. Koalas use a novel vocal organ to produce unusually low-pitched mating calls. Current Biology, 23(23), pp.R1035-R1036. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(13)01344-4
Charlton, B.D., Ellis, W.A., McKinnon, A.J., Brumm, J., Nilsson, K. and Fitch, W.T., 2011. Perception of male caller identity in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): acoustic analysis and playback experiments. PLoS One, 6(5), p.e20329. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0020329
Charlton, B.D., Watchorn, D.J. and Whisson, D.A., 2017. Subharmonics increase the auditory impact of female koala rejection calls. Ethology, 123(8), pp.571-579. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/eth.12628
Ellis, W., Bercovitch, F., Fitzgibbon, S., Roe, P., Wimmer, J., Melzer, A. and Wilson, R., 2011. Koala bellows and their association with the spatial dynamics of free-ranging koalas. Behavioral Ecology, 22(2), pp.372-377. https://academic.oup.com/beheco/article-abstract/22/2/372/208250
Whisson, D.A., Rivera, P. and Rendall, A.R., 2023. Systematic acoustic surveys inform priority conservation areas for koalas in a modified landscape. Landscape Ecology, 38(5), pp.1279-1290. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10980-023-01620-2
Koala anatomy
Kempster, R.C. and Hirst, L.W., 2002. Bony orbital anatomy of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). The Anatomical Record: An Official Publication of the American Association of Anatomists, 267(4), pp.288-291. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.10117
Pagliarani, S., Palmieri, C., McGowan, M., Carrick, F., Boyd, J. and Johnston, S.D., 2023. Anatomy of the Female Koala Reproductive Tract. Biology, 12(11), p.1445. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12111445
Koalas and stress
Larsen, M.J., Sherwen, S.L. and Rault, J.L., 2014. Number of nearby visitors and noise level affect vigilance in captive koalas. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 154, pp.76-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.02.005
Narayan, E.J., Webster, K., Nicolson, V., Mucci, A. and Hero, J.M., 2013. Non-invasive evaluation of physiological stress in an iconic Australian marsupial: the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 187, pp.39-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.03.021
Pahuja, H., Bee, I., Bee, A. and Narayan, E., 2023. Physiological stress response of koala joeys to visitors. bioRxiv, pp.2023-10. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.10.09.561560
Ropert-Coudert, Y., Brooks, L., Yamamoto, M. and Kato, A., 2009. ECG response of koalas to tourists proximity: a preliminary study. PLoS One, 4(10), p.e7378. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007378
Social Behaviour of Koalas
Ellis, W., Hale, P., Carrick, F., Hasegawa, M. and Nielsen Mand Esser, D., 2000. Aspects of the ecology of koalas at Blair Athol coal mine. Research and management of nonurban koala populations, pp.127-138. https://acquire.cqu.edu.au/ndownloader/files/25847876#page=130
Watchorn, D.J., 2025. Social affiliation among sub-adult male koalas in a high-density population. Australian Mammalogy, 47(1). https://doi.org/10.1071/AM24033
Home ranges, movements and dispersal
Dique, D.S., Thompson, J., Preece, H.J., de Villiers, D.L. and Carrick, F.N., 2003. Dispersal patterns in a regional koala population in south-east Queensland. Wildlife Research, 30(3), pp.281-290. https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/wr02043
Goldingay, R.L. and Dobner, B., 2013. Home range areas of koalas in an urban area of north-east New South Wales. Australian Mammalogy, 36(1), pp.74-80. https://www.publish.csiro.au/AM/am12049
Rhodes, J.R., McAlpine, C.A., Lunney, D. and Possingham, H.P., 2005. A spatially explicit habitat selection model incorporating home range behavior. Ecology, 86(5), pp.1199-1205. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/04-0912
Tacla, P.K., Barth, B.J., FitzGibbon, S.I., Gillett, A.K. and Ellis, W.A., 2025. Patterns of activity and travel by koalas in a disturbed urban landscape in Queensland. Australian Mammalogy, 47(1). https://doi.org/10.1071/AM24044
Koalas and Biodiversity Offsets
Tran, H.N. and Maron, M., Biodiversity offset conditions contributing to net loss of koala Phascolarctos cinereus habitat. Conservation Science and Practice, p.e13271. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13271
Effect of logging on koalas
Smith, A.P., 2004. Koala conservation and habitat requirements in a timber production forest in north-east New South Wales. Conservation of Australia’s Forest Fauna, 2(1), pp.591-611. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew-Smith-170/publication/328621109_Smith2004_koala_Forest_Management/links/5bd8f7bfa6fdcc3a8db2c670/Smith2004-koala-Forest-Management.pdf
Smith, A.P. and Pile, J., 2024 Koala density, habitat, conservation, and response to logging in eucalyptus forest; a review and critical evaluation of call monitoring. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2024.023
Tucker, G. and Wormington, K., 2011. Threats to koala populations in south‐eastern Australia and the impacts of forestry activities on koalas and their habitat. (no link – contact me for a copy)
