Drivers are being asked to take extra care as the threat to the Tweed’s koala population is highlighted by the recent deaths of two animals struck by moving vehicles.
Last week a healthy adult male koala was struck by a car on Clothiers Creek Road and, while the strike was reported and a Friends of the Koala volunteer rescued the injured animal, sadly it died a few days later.
The previous week a koala was taken into care from North Tumbulgum, very thin and blind in one eye, probably due to a car strike days before being found. It also died a day later.
Tweed Shire Council’s Natural Resource Manage-ment Project Officer Sally Jacka said the koala found at North Tumbulgum may have been wandering around in pain for days.
“And how many undiscovered cases, not just of koalas, but other wildlife as well, like this occur – we don’t know,” Ms Jacka said.
“Driver awareness, particularly between dusk and dawn, and responsible pet ownership is imperative if we are to save our koalas.”
The Tweed Coast Koala Habitat Study (TCKHS) undertaken on behalf of Tweed Shire Council in 2011 estimated a population of approximately 144 koalas remaining on the Tweed coast, which may already be below the minimum viable population size required to sustain long-term population survival.
Last year Council received Environment Trust funding from the State Government for the Koala Connections Project to improve koala habitat.This project will now be expanded with a Biodiversity Fund grant of over $2 million from the Federal Government.However, recovery potential is impeded by ongoing incidental mortality rates due to incidents such as motor vehicle strikes and dog attacks.
If you see an injured or sick koala, please call Friends of the Koala on (02) 6622 1233.For all other native wildlife in the Tweed, call Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers on (02) 6672 4789. Both these community groups provide a 24-hour volunteer rescue service throughout the Tweed.
