FRESH koala droppings beneath a tree may not be the first school holiday sight that springs to mind but they gave visitors a useful clue during a recent walk at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary.
Fresh scat at the base of several koala feed trees during Council’s Walk and Talk proved that a koala had recently used the trees, even when the animal remained out of sight.
The walk was a chance to put the new Koala Tree Guide to practical use, Port Stephens Council Natural Systems Coordinator Kimberly Baker said
Rather than simply looking up for koalas, participants examined bark, leaves and gumnuts, using the guide’s identification key to work out which tree species they were looking at.
Attendees learned that koalas are fussy eaters, feeding only from particular trees.
“We wanted to host a Walk and Talk that brings our new Koala Tree Guide to life by taking science off the shelf and into the bush,” Ms Baker said.
“Recognising these specific trees is the first step in understanding where koalas live and forage in our local environment.
“Learning to identify scat is an incredibly reliable way to confirm that a koala has recently been using a tree, even if you can’t see them in the canopy.”
A Port Stephens Koala Hospital presentation included a reminder about the risks vehicle strikes and dog attacks pose.
Residents are being urged to follow traffic signs identifying areas of high koala activity, and keep dogs on leads in public places or securely fenced in yards where koalas may be present.
Those who attended took home a printed guide and a koala feed tree to plant in their own yard.
The guide was funded by the NSW Government in collaboration with Port Stephens, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Mid-Coast and Port Macquarie-Hastings councils.
By Althea GUINSBERG
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
