'Game-changer': Tracking collars help monitor vulnerable koala populations

Innovative technology, including thermal drones and specialized tracking collars, is revolutionizing efforts to monitor and conserve vulnerable koala populations in southeast Queensland. Researchers describe these tools as a "game-changer" in addressing the species' declining numbers.

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We get up early in the morning when there's really good differential between the cool forest and the koalas' heat, and the thermal camera on the drone just glows if you happen to fly over a koala.

Thermal drones equipped with cameras can detect koalas by their heat signature against the cooler forest backdrop, especially in the early morning. This method is significantly more efficient than traditional night-time spotlighting, which involved extensive searching by teams on foot. "This is way more efficient and means we can get a lot more done," said Dr. Sean FitzGibbon, a researcher from the University of Queensland.

Complementing the drones, lightweight, solar-powered tracking collars are providing real-time movement data for koalas. These collars transmit location information to mobile phones approximately four times a day. Dr. FitzGibbon highlighted the importance of this technology for animal welfare, noting that it has directly led to the rescue of koalas that might have otherwise died.

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This is way more efficient and means we can get a lot more done.

The technology is proving particularly effective in programs aimed at boosting koala numbers in areas like the Brisbane Koala Bushlands at Burbank. Here, researchers are working to treat sick koalas and supplement the population with healthy young animals. "We need to act quickly in terms of removing diseased animals, treating what we can and then helping with new genetics and new animals to come in as breeding animals," explained UQ research fellow and veterinarian Dr. Amber Gillett.

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It's an important advancement in animal welfare … a few times it's saved koalas lives where we found a sick koala that might've died in a few days if we hadn't responded to the GPS signal.

Conservationists are focused on reversing the observed population crash, hoping to see numbers climb again. Relocated koalas, like Deliah, are fitted with these tracking collars to monitor their adaptation to new habitats. This approach aims to mitigate risks such as road accidents, encounters with domestic animals, or accidental falls into swimming pools, which often affect young koalas seeking new territories.

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We need to act quickly in terms of removing diseased animals, treating what we can and then helping with new genetics and new animals to come in as breeding animals.