It's the end of Save the Koala month, Spring has sprung, school holidays have begun, and it is the perfect opportunity to get out and about and look for koalas.

The Northern Rivers Regional Koala Partnership is excited to announce the inaugural Northern Rivers Koala Count will take place from today (Sunday, 24^th) to Saturday 30^th of September 2023.

The group is asking the community to make a special effort to report sightings of koalas during the last week of September on the Friends of the Koala website Report koala sightings - Friends of the Koala. With such beautiful weather, it is a great opportunity to go for a bushwalk in a natural area, keep your eyes out for koalas and record a sighting.

The week-long project aims to harness the power of citizen science to provide a better understanding of where koalas live and how they use their environment. This can help support important koala research, conservation, and management actions.

Angie Brace, Regional Koala Officer, emphasised the role of the community in understanding koalas in our region.

"We encourage everyone to visit the Friends of the Koala website and document any koala sightings throughout the week. These koala records help us understand where koalas are and this in turn helps us understand what we need to do for those populations. This could mean knowing where to look to rescue koalas following a fire event or where we should work on improving koala habitat.”

If you spot a koala displaying any of the signs below, they are likely sick, injured or at risk and you should call the Friends of the Koala 24-hour rescue hotline immediately on 6622 1233. 

o  Eyes red, crusty or weepy

o  Rump stained and/or wet, not white or grey

o  Fur missing, matted or brown

o  Visible blood or wound, and/or flies buzzing around

o  Difficulty climbing, moving or walking

o  On the ground, not moving

o  Does not move away when approached

o  Smaller than a rockmelon on their own and/or chirping

o  Discharge out of nose or mouth

o  Dogs nearby, possible or at risk of dog attack

o  On the road edge, or at risk of vehicle strike

o  On a pole or fence

o  Deceased

"We also encourage everyone to record all your koala sightings on the website at any time of the year."

The Northern Rivers Regional Partnership is made up of local and state governments working with FOK and the community to protect, restore and create healthy koala populations in our region.