Monitoring koala populations in South East Queensland
Everyone knows what koalas look like, but their elusive nature and uneven population distribution make them difficult to monitor in the wild. In recent years, the job has become easier with improved monitoring methods and technology to map and count koalas.
The Queensland Government has monitored koala populations since 1996 and in 2020 released the South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy 2020–2025.
One of the strategy’s four targets is to stabilise koala population numbers. The South East Queensland Koala Monitoring Program contributes to this target by monitoring koala populations and gathering information about their distribution, abundance, ecology, population dynamics and threats.
How does koala monitoring work?
Our Senior program officer Courtney Jackson explained koala monitoring involves a team of people walking through the landscape at carefully selected survey sites counting koalas.
“Since 2020, we have surveyed over 2,200km of transects in urban and rural areas across South East Queensland, including private, council and state-owned land,” Ms Jackson said.
“To conduct the surveys, we partner with the CSIRO, universities, Traditional Owners, natural resource management groups, councils, and private landholders.
“Each site is carefully selected to represent the koalas’ range. We check how many koalas there are to compare this with how many were counted previously. We also collect environmental information to help inform koala population trends at a regional scale.
“During the day, koalas typically sit quietly high up in trees, so you have to look very carefully for them. We also look for scratch marks on trees and koala scats as signs that a koala may be nearby.
“After spending 8 days a fortnight looking at every tree along a transect and seeing a certain number of koalas, you get an eye for spotting koalas and see them more easily. Our team regularly spots koalas from vehicles and in their free time outdoors in koala habitat.”
What types of surveys are there?
Departmental officers use a method called Distance Sampling (single observer line transects) to monitor for koalas, which estimates density and abundance and can detect changes over time.
This method involves two people walking along a mapped-out line or path through a habitat section, recording koala sightings as they walk. The observers record the number of koalas and health and environmental information, helping to model population trends and trajectory.
The team also works with project partners to trial advanced technologies and improve their population estimates.
How is the data used?
The survey data feeds into sophisticated state-space modelling developed by university partners, which are a powerful tool for analysing time-series data.
In the case of koala monitoring, these models account for missed koalas and provide information about trends in the South East Queensland koala population numbers over time.
The team also shares Queensland’s data with the National Koala Monitoring Program—an Australia-wide approach to improving understanding of koala population size and status. In addition, the team works with partners on a case-by-case basis to advance our knowledge and conservation of koalas.
How can you get involved?
Landholders across South East Queensland can get involved in the monitoring program.
“By partnering with us, landholders can assist with koala conservation. We will provide them with a map of our findings on their property and share our knowledge, including weed identification and beneficial land management strategies,” Ms Jackson said.
“We are currently looking for more sites to survey in the Sunshine Coast, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim local government areas.”
If you are a landholder interested in partnering with the team, email koalasurvey@des.qld.gov.au and include your name, contact details, and address.