Koala Guardians: Empowering community protection of an Australian icon

Project Overview

Koala Guardians is a collaborative conservation initiative using bluetooth ear tags and citizen science to protect and monitor koala populations in Southeast Queensland

Koala Guardians is a collaborative and multi-disciplinary conservation initiative designed to protect and monitor koala populations in Southeast Queensland. Led by University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), this project integrates advanced technologies, such as solar powered Bluetooth ear tags and mobile apps, with community engagement and education to achieve more awareness and with that, sustainable conservation of koalas.

UniSC are developing accessible and long-lasting ear tags for koalas that can be integrated into routinely deployed ear tags for those koalas leaving wildlife hospitals. These ear tags have a solar powered bluetooth signal that can be received and linked to a custom built mobile app.

Together with Social Science experts at Griffith University, we investigate new ways of engaging community in active koala conservation, and include citizens in co-design of the mobile app to ensure sustainable retention and attraction of citizen scientists. Ultimately, koalas released from wildlife hospitals or care can be identified and recorded in the wild by members of the community, which gives highly valuable feedback and data about these individuals. Further, the community learns more about their local koalas and also signs of disease, which will improve overall conservation outcomes for our local koala populations.

Proponent: UniSC

Why it’s important

Koalas are an Australian icon and yet in 2022 were listed as endangered, given only a 20% chance of survival in the wild.

There is an urgent need to find new ways to protect our endangered koalas. Through citizen science, community can play a major role in helping to identify which koalas and populations are becoming unwell or in decline, so we can know when and where they need help. Overall, awareness and education of all members of the community is needed to protect and conserve koalas long-term.