Friends of the Koala sends a very warm thankyou to everyone who took part in the 2013 Great Koala Count. Because of your involvement and the regional media’s great support, organisers have declared the inaugural Count a resounding success.
Nearly 800 people from across NSW (with a handful from South Australia, Victoria and Queensland) registered for the Count. While far fewer lodged records, I’m proud to report that the biggest concentration of participants was in the northern rivers. You accounted for about a third of those who spent time searching for koalas and you contributed more than half the koala sightings.
Friends of the Koala’s early commitment to the Great Koala Count ensured that the National Parks Association of NSW and the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative chose the northern rivers region to be the pilot’s focus. Your response clearly demonstrates we are a community concerned about the future of our koalas and already closely engaged in their conservation.
Verification of the records is nearing completion. Some of you will have received an email or phone call checking a co-ordinate or other detail. The next stage will be analysing the data. The report promised to all participants is well on track for release in February 2014.
Planning a bigger and better Count in November next year is already underway.
Friends of the Koala encourages you to continue reporting your koala sightings throughout the year by going to the Help tab on our website: www.friendsofthekoala.org.
Lorraine Vass, president, Friends of the Koala