KOALA NEWS & SCIENCE
An informative monthly newsletter about successes & important announcements in koala conservation, and the latest scientific publications about koalas.
September 2024
Subscribe here: https://mailchi.mp/808fc4af1ee0/koala-news-science
An end to native forest logging in NSW? 30 September
Not yet, but it is one of 5 options put to stakeholders as part of NSW government-appointed independent expert panel consultations.
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/nsw/2024/09/30/native-logging-nsw?
400,000 koala trees planted by Bangalow Koalas 25 September
Bangalow Koalas have planted their 400,000th tree as part of their 500,000 Reasons for Hope Project. The group have done 148 plantings on 114 properties since 2019.
https://www.echo.net.au/2024/09/400000th-tree-planted-as-part-of-500000-reasons-for-hope-project/
Vitrinite investigated for illegal koala habitat clearing at Vulcan South QLD 4 October
Vulcan South coal mine has not yet been approved by Minister Plibersek, yet Vitrinite have already cleared 47ha of the site. Scientists and environmentalists are calling for the Minister to hold Vitrinite to account and deny approval.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-04/koala-habitat-cleared-without-federal-approval/104414272
Virtual fencing trial in Ballarat VIC 13 September
Ballarat Wildlife Rehabilitation & Conservation have secured funding to install 2km of virtual fencing to protect koalas in Ballarat.
https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/ballarat/news/virtual-fencing-could-protect-koala-population/
Revegetation milestone reached one year early VIC 23 September
Koala Clancy Foundation have celebrated the planting of the 150,000th tree in their mission to plant 300,000 trees by 2030. The milestone was expected in 2025, but has been achieved one year ahead of schedule.
https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/geelongtimes/news/geelong-charity-plants-150000-trees/
Community forum talking about koala conservation QLD 29 September
The first in a series of Environmental Sustainability Community Awareness Forums was held at Deception Bay, and featured University of Sunshine Coast’s Dr Katrin Hohwieler talking about koala conservation.
https://www.moretondaily.com.au/news/forum-discusses-koala-conservation
Radio interview with award-winning koala rescuer QLD
4BC Brisbane interviewed veteran Koala rescuer John Knights about deforestation by stealth, and his recent Community Heroes award.
https://www.facebook.com/100093204962109/videos/1949039598877259
Volunteers needed to collect leaves for koalas NSW 18 September
Friends of the Koala need leaf donations and volunteers to collect leaves for koalas at Northern Rivers Koala Hospital and Koala Care Centre.
https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/byroncoasttimes/news/leafers-and-leaves-needed-for-local-koalas/
Fight for Little Newry koala habitat, NSW 11 September
Nambucca Valley Conservation Association have requested that Little Newry SF be withdrawn or paused from the logging schedule until the State Government has finalised the boundaries of the GKNP, as surveys required under the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals have not been undertaken.
https://www.newsofthearea.com.au/forest-campaigners-rally-for-little-newry-ahead-of-logging-start-date
Koala tree sale, VIC on 27 October
Excess stock from planting season is available $1 each. One day only, Koala Clancy nursery in Staughton Vale.
https://www.koalaclancyfoundation.org.au/event/koala-tree-sale-koala-clancy-plant-nursery/
Koala fence at Lismore vehicle strike hotspot NSW 6 September
Lismore City Council will install 1.5km of koala fencing at Tatham Road, Bruxner Highway between Lismore and Casino.
https://lismoreapp.com.au/NewsStory/new-koala-fence-to-protect-tatham-road-koalas/66d9345161083c002eae5d84
Koala supermarket visit well managed VIC 17 September
A koala’s visit to a supermarket in Meeniyan, south Gippsland, has been well managed by staff and customers, who called a wildlife carer and took advice until the koala was safely relocated.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/17/koala-found-iga-supermarket-meeinyan-victoria
Koala tree planting underway in Eurobodalla NSW 5 October
Eurobodalla Koala Project is working on nine properties to plant 6000 koala trees.
https://aboutregional.com.au/volunteers-farmers-bringing-eurobodallas-koalas-back-from-the-brink/461987/
Prisoners build koala traps to help rescuers 2 October
Prisoners at Wolston Correctional Centre have designed and built 5 koala traps for wildlife rehabilitation groups including RSPCA and Ipswich Koala Protection Society. The new traps have been shared across the Ipswich, Lockyer Valley and other southeast Queensland groups, helping increase koala rescues by more than 60 per cent.
https://corrections.qld.gov.au/wolston-industries-help-protect-endangered-koalas/
Liverpool Council have no Koala Management Plan NSW
Sign the petition to ask Liverpool Council to create a Koala Management Plan
https://www.change.org/p/make-liverpool-council-establish-a-koala-management-plan?
Fire Ants found near Logan QLD 13 September
5 Red introduced Fire Ant nests were found recently in the Daisy Hill Koala Bushlands. Fire Ants are a threat to koalas.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/13/fire-ants-queensland-daisy-hill-koala-sanctuary-neville-lawrie-reserve
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Latest Koala Science
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Duffy, J., Stragliotto, T. and Mella, V., On the nose: validating a novel, non-invasive method to identify individual koalas using unique nose patterns. Wildlife Research. https://www.publish.csiro.au/WR/justaccepted/WR24131
Context: Non-invasive identification of individual animals in wild populations can occur in species with unique coat patterns (e.g. zebras, giraffes, jaguars). However, identification in other species, often relies on capture-mark-recapture techniques, involving physical handling of animals. Identification of individual koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) is difficult and has so far relied mostly on invasive methods such as ear tagging, microchipping and/or collaring, which require capture. The validation of a non-invasive method to identify koalas could improve monitoring of individuals in the wild, allowing targeting of specific koalas in disease and survival studies, reducing the need to capture individuals. Aims: This study describes a novel effective method to identify koalas from their nose markings, specifically using the unpigmented pattern of the nose to determine unique features of individuals. Methods: Photographs of koalas from different populations in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW), Australia, were examined in the study. Nose patterns were traced from photographs and matched through visual assessment if they were thought to belong to the same individual. Individual nose patterns and koala identity (determined by microchip ID) match success was then tested for the NSW koalas in relation to location, sex, lighting conditions and photographic angle. Key results: Identification success rate was 98.3% and was not affected by any of the variables tested, demonstrating that nose patterns can be used reliably to identify individual koalas. Conclusions: The proposed non-invasive method is simple, yet accurate and stable over time, hence it offers a vital tool for monitoring endangered koalas whilst minimising human interference.
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Charalambous, R., Descovich, K.A. and Narayan, E.J., 2024. Identifying Trends in Admission and Release of Wild Koalas in Veterinary Clinics Throughout Queensland, Australia. society & animals, 1(aop), pp.1-24. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-bja10220
Populations of Queensland koalas are rapidly declining, and the driving force behind this is habitat loss. This study analyzed reports (N = 50,858) made to three wildlife- focused veterinary clinics within the South-East Queensland Wildlife Hospital Network for assistance relating to a sick or injured wild koala between 1997 and 2019. Using descriptive and inferential statistics, a nominal logistic regression was performed to test the effect of key independent variables (age, sex, and etiology) on the outcome of each koala (released, deceased, euthanized) after being reported. Results found that the most common outcome for both sexes, most etiologies, and all ages was euthanasia. A comprehensive understanding of the primary risks affecting endangered species, and how these risks affect the likelihood of survival, is essential to inform species conservation policies and extinction risk assessments. We hope this study can provide an indispensable basis for future koala conservation strategies.
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Schlagloth, R., Santamaria, F., Hewson, M., Danaher, M., Geddes, C. and Kerlin, D.H., 2024. Monitoring the effectiveness of fauna sensitive infrastructure along the Peak Downs Highway in Central Queensland reveals mixed results for koala conservation. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, pp.1-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2024.2405676
The koala is endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Collisions with vehicles are a major threat to the survival of the species. At the end of October 2022, a 1-month-long project was undertaken to monitor the use of habitat by koalas near fauna sensitive infrastructures consisting of between 160 and 400 m wildlife exclusion fencing leading to multi-span bridges (underpasses) along the Peak Downs Highway in Central Queensland. Three underpasses were monitored using 12 wildlife surveillance cameras operating 24 h/day. Video footage was analysed by artificial intelligence. Day-time walked transects were used to survey koalas in the surrounding habitat and individual koalas were photographed and identified. The surveillance cameras recorded several thousand animals across several groups/species, but only one koala was observed. Altogether 51 koala sightings were made during the walked transects. Three male koalas are presumed to have crossed the highway without using the underpasses as they were observed on both sides of the road. The cameras showed no evidence of these animals using the underpass. We recommend expanding the length of the fences to increase the likelihood of use of underpasses and a repeat of the survey at the beginning of the breeding season.
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Newman, T., Bond, D.M., Ishihara, T., Rizzoli, P., Gouil, Q., Hore, T.A., Shaw, G. and Renfree, M.B., 2024. PRKACB is a novel imprinted gene in marsupials. Epigenetics & Chromatin, 17(1), p.29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13072-024-00552-8
Background Genomic imprinting results in parent-of-origin-specific gene expression and, among vertebrates, is found only in therian mammals: marsupials and eutherians. A differentially methylated region (DMR), in which the methylation status of CpG dinucleotides differs between the two alleles, can mark the parental identity of imprinted genes. We developed a computational pipeline that detected CpG islands (CGIs) marked by both methylated and unmethylated signals in whole genome bisulfite sequencing data. This approach identified candidate marsupial DMRs in a publicly available koala methylome. One of these candidate DMRs was associated with PRKACB, a gene encoding the protein kinase A catalytic subunit beta. Nothing is known about the imprinting status of PRKACB in eutherian mammals although mutations of this gene are associated with endocrine neoplasia and other developmental disorders.
Results In the tammar wallaby and brushtail possum there was parent-of-origin-specific DNA methylation in the PRKACB DMR in which the maternal allele was methylated and the paternal allele was unmethylated. There were multiple RNAs transcribed from this locus. Allele-specific expression analysis identified paternal expression of a PRKACB lncRNA and an mRNA isoform. Comparison of the PRKACB gene start site between marsupials and eutherians demonstrated that the CGI is longer in marsupials. The PRKACB gene product functions in the same signalling pathway as the guanine nucleotide-binding protein alpha subunit encoded at the GNAS locus, a known eutherian imprinted gene. In a mouse methylome Gnas had three differentially methylated CGIs, while in the koala methylome the GNAS locus had two unmethylated CGIs.
Conclusions We conclude that PRKACB is a novel, DMR-associated marsupial imprinted gene. Imprinting of PRKACB in marsupials and GNAS in eutherians may indicate a conserved selection pressure for imprinting of the protein kinase A signalling pathway in therians with the two lineages adapting by imprinting different genes.
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Zheng, L. and Legione, A.R., 2024. A High Frequency of Detection of Recombinant Koala Retrovirus (recKoRV) in Victorian Koalas Suggests Historic Integration of KoRV. bioRxiv, pp.2024-09. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.10.612269
Recombinant koala retrovirus (recKoRV) is a recently discovered variant of koala retrovirus (KoRV), which likely emerged due to the insertion of another retrovirus (likely Phascolarctos endogenous retrovirus) into the backbone of KoRV. KoRV endogenisation was thought to be ongoing in Victoria based on the low prevalence of the virus based on molecular detection of the pol gene, however recKoRV was not incorporated into the previous KoRV diagnostic test results. In this study, a new 5’-region-based PCR assay was developed, capable of detecting both intact KoRV and recKoRV. Using this assay, 319 archived DNA samples from 287 Victorian koalas were retested to investigate KoRV endogenisation. We found a 98.3% (282/287) of these samples were positive for the KoRV-5’ fragment, the majority of which were KoRV-pol negative (222/287) on prior testing. Our findings demonstrate extensive KoRV integration into the Victorian koala populations, suggestive of a historic presence of KoRV in Victorian koalas. This finding makes biological sense relative to the translocation history of Victorian koalas, compared to the prior paradigm of ongoing endogenisation, and provides new epidemiological and practical management implications.
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Koala Science In Brief:
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Miklík, D., Slavková, M., Kučerová, D., Mekadim, C., Mrázek, J. and Hejnar, J., 2024. Long Terminal Repeats of Gammaretroviruses Retain Stable Expression after Integration Retargeting. Viruses, 16(10), p.1518. https://doi.org/10.3390/v16101518
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Kayesh, M.E.H., Hashem, M.A. and Tsukiyama-Kohara, K., 2024. Epidemiology, Transmission Mode, and Pathogenesis of Chlamydia pecorum Infection in Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): An Overview. Animals, 14(18), p.2686. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14182686
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Previous Koala News & Science here: https://www.wildkoaladay.com.au/koala-news-science/1820/
Written by Janine Duffy President, Koala Clancy Foundation.
with support from Cheryl Egan, Organiser, Wild Koala Day.
Please send your positive, important news & publications to president@koalaclancyfoundation.org.au before 29th of each month for possible inclusion.
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