The Nature Conservation (Koala) Plan 2006 defines a koala spotter as “a person who has demonstrated experience in locating koalas in koala habitats or conducting fauna surveys”.
From April, firms managing blue gum plantations in Victoria state’s Green Triangle region will be required to have a “koala management plan” in place, the state government says. That will include using koala spotters to keep a lookout for the animals while trees are being felled, and if one of the furry creatures is spotted then several trees surrounding it must be spared.
However, some experts claim Queensland’s koala population has been caused by unqualified “koala spotters”.
Jimmy the Koala is a national icon who was rescued after being injured on a plantation.
Blue gums – a type of eucalyptus – are one of the few preferred food sources for the notoriously picky eaters, but living in a commercial logging area is risky. In 2013, a major woodchip company admitted its operations had killed and maimed koalas, prompting environmental groups to criticize the government’s oversight of the industry.
Via BBC News
