October 9, 2014

Koala nightlife in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Fox Gully Bushcare, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Photography | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

By: Michael Fox

I'm partied out ... time for a rest.

I’m partied out … time to rest.

September to March is Koala mating season and Photographer, Alan Moore, reports that on Tuesday night there seemed to be a late night party in the trees behind his house.

Alan identified the sounds of three different Koalas … typically lots grunting, hissing and squealing/screaming.

.

.

.

.

.

.

,

LED LENSER - Alan Moore

LED LENSER P17

.

Photographing Koalas high in the trees is difficult at the best of times. At 11:30pm it is a bit of an art.

Alan uses an LED LENSER P17 torch that can be focused into a power spot light beam. The bright white LED light is ideal for photography even for back-lighting in daytime.

.

Koala3 - male - Alan Moore - 7 Oct 2014

Definitely a male Koala

.

.

.

.

.

“Ok, back to the party. The girls will be missing me.”

If you see a Koala:

  • please take a photo – even a phone camera photo is fine as it provides details of date/time
  • note the location – beside Summit Track or backyard of number/street
  • report to Koala Tracker; or
  • email details and photos to megoutlook@gmail.com

Sick or injured Koalas can be reported to 1300 ANIMAL or Daisy Hill Koala Ambulance

 

February 24, 2014

Koala Elsa visits QIBT OWeek Market

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Threats to Conservation Reserve, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 
IMG_6056

Kristen introduces Elsa to international visitors

By: Michael Fox

International students are an important group of potential volunteers for bush restoration work so Kristen and  Elsa the Koala joined us at the QIBT (Queensland Institute of Business Technology) OWeek Market.

Elsa, who normally lives at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre, was a real hit with  students from as far away as Japan, China and Sri Lanka. Kristan also amazed students with the body of a three day old joey Koala. Just 30mm long the joey would have made an extraordinary journey to its mother pouch after birth. Unfortunately the mother was hit by a car shortly after and the joey was found in the mother’s pouch.

IMG_6057

Elsa – Koala Phascolarctos cinereus

In south-east Queensland we are lucky to still have some significant Koala habitat with protected areas like Daisy Hill Koala Centre however development pressure is impacting. In Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve and surrounding urban areas we are seeing a return of Koalas that, as recently as 1927, were hunted for their pelts. Nature is giving us a second chance with Koalas so  students engaged in restoration of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve will be making a valuable contribution to a unique Koala habitat just fifteen minutes from Brisbane CBD and right beside their university campus. Students are also invited to visit Daisy Hill Koala Centre – free entry.

Free Dog Behaviour Seminar – Reducing your dog’s impact on Wildlife

Daisy Hill Koala Centre – Sunday 30 March. Dogs off-leash are one of the three key threats to Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. Take the opportunity to learn about making your dog wildlife friendly.

 

April 9, 2013

Coppa the Lucky Koala back in the trees

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 
IMG_2908

Garrett with Coppa in Wildlife Ambulance

By: Michael Fox

Last month I joined Wildlife Ambulance officers, Garrett Smits and Vicki Pender, to return Coppa the Lucky Koala back to bushland adjoining Bulimba Creek at Mansfield. This is the third time Coppa has been taken to the Moggill Koala Hospital after being hit by a car on Creek Road.

Injured Koalas taken to the Moggill Koala Hospital are all given a name and micro-chipped before being released to bushland as close as possible to where they are found.

Coppa back in the trees - 10 Apr 2013

Southern Star – 10 April 2013

Coppa is a 5.5 year old male in good health … and very lucky.

  • 18/12/2011 – hit by car on Creek Road – course of antibiotics and observation for 10 days released north of Creek Road
  • 16/8/2012 – hit by car on Creek Road – bruising – obs for 3 days – released north of Creek Road
  • 19/3/2013 – hit by car on Creek Road – released yesterday bushland at end of Dividend Street Mansfield (south of Creek Road)

Vicki and Garrett are obviously proud of their Wildlife Ambulance work and particularly fond of this lucky Koala they have now rescued three times.

It was a pleasure to see a Koala return from hospital back to the wild. Koalas are breeding successful again in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve and bushland along Bulimba Creek. However, city drivers are not used to having to slow down for a Koala crossing the road. Breeding season from September to March is the time when Koalas are most likely to be crossing roads.

Coppa was hit in the same area each time … just within the 70km zone as you come down the hill from Carindale towards the Bunnings corner. Please be careful and report injured Koalas to 1300 WILDLIFE.

 

October 24, 2012

Koalas crossing – don’t hit and run

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Wildlife | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

By: Michael Fox

Injured Koala with joey in pouch

“The car in front hit her and just kept going!” Sam Oberhardt was describing the events witnessed by a motorist who had pulled over to help the female Koala hit by a car on Creek Road Wednesday morning last week.

The second driver, Sam and another driver all pulled over the help the injured Koala and waited for the Animal Ambulance sent by Daisy Hill Koala Centre.

This beautiful animal touched the hearts of these generous individuals who stopped to help. She sat passively allowing herself to be removed from the road and placed in the car boot and covered to keep warm.

Safe and warm while waiting for ambos

Unfortunately the story has a sad end. Transferred to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital the Koala was found to have a joey in her pouch but with a broken arm and shattered jaw, she and her joey had to be euthanized.

What can we learn from this?

Gillian Brownhill, Winner Pride of Australia Environmental Medal and founder of Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Eumandi, l makes an important point:

“The first car that hits an animal usually doesn’t kill, it just leaves them stunned. The second car that comes expects the animal to move off the road, then by the time they realise it is not moving it is too late and they have hit it again.”

We are all busy and the morning commute is not a time we want to be taking an animal to the vet. Gillian asks that, if we do not have time to wait, at least stop, move the injured animal off the road and call the Animal Ambulance. If you cannot wait, please note the address or some feature that will help the Ambulance find the injured animal. You can call the RSPCA Wildlife Ambulance 24/7 on 1300 ANIMAL

August to February is Koala breeding season so they will be on the move and sometimes try to cross busy roads. Swerving or stopping suddenly to avoid an animal is not recommend as that may cause a much worse accident. However, if our car does hit an animal we can all take the time to at least stop and remove the injured animal to safety. Sometimes that is enough as a stunned animal may recover by itself if is safe from being hit by another car.

Seeing Koalas on your walk to work or crossing our suburban roads is a something special. These iconic animals are returning to our suburbs. Visit Koala Tracker to report any sightings.

Daisy Hill Koala Centre Information Sheets:

Living with wildlife- Koala sick and injured

Living with wildlife- Koala planting trees

Living with wildlife- Koala misconceptions

Living with wildlife- Koala info sheet

Living with wildlife- Koala backyard

 

May 25, 2012

Koala partner – Daisy Hill Koala Centre

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Mimosa Creek Precinct, Wildlife Corridor, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: , , , , , , |
[2] Comments 

Kristen beside stump of Indian Rubber Tree

This week we were honoured with a visit to Fox Gully Bushcare by Kristen Collie, Ranger at Daisy Hill Koala Centre.

Mt Gravatt Environment Group is now sharing data on Koala sightings with the Koala Centre with intitial data suggesting that our furry friends a quite active in surrounding streets.

One fact that really stands out is the number of Koalas injured by dog attacks in backyards or hit by cars on the roads.

The Koala Centre, which comes under the new Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, operates the Koala Ambulance during business hours. Rangers take injured and dead Koalas to the Moggill Koala Hospital and record details locations.

Brisbane City Council also operates a 24 Hour Animal Ambulance – call 07 3403 8888 for any sick or injured wildlife – even Blue Tongue Lizards.

Kristen was also impress by our community’s commitment to habitat restoration and restoring wildlife corridors. We visited Zone 13 where our Tuesday Bushcare group have removed a huge area of Fishbone/Sword Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia.

We then moved onto inspect the restoration where the wildlife corridor cuts through private properties to Klumpp Road. Standing beside the stump of the huge Indian Rubber Tree and seeing water trickling down the gully from the restored spring, really demonstrated the community commitment to our wildlife.

Our 2012 Community Gully Day is planned for Sunday August 5th and will concentrate on replanting the area cleaned up in 2011.