The Australian National Science Foundation (CSIRO) is asking the public to download the Koala Spotter app on their phones and use it to document sightings of the animals.
Andrew Hoskins, a researcher at CSIRO, explained that counting koalas requires different methods and techniques, including public observations.
To detect koalas from above, scientists use drones equipped with thermal cameras, install cameras and audio recorders on the ground, use tracking dogs, analyze feces and compare newly recorded data with previous data, the agency wrote in a news release Thursday.
In 2022, the Australian Government accepted the recommendation of the Scientific Committee on Threatened Species to strengthen the protection status of koala populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT, and announced a record A$50 million (HUF 11 billion) four-year MTI koala conservation program.
According to the latest estimate from the Australian Koala Detection Program (NKMP), published in March, the number of koalas living in the country is between 224,000 and 524,000, MTI said.
Follow the index on Facebook too!
