The NSW Scientific Committee has recommended that the Port Stephens koala population be listed as a threatened species.
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Reporting to the Minister for Environment, the committee has undertaken a comprehensive study of the population East of the Pacific Highway, South of Nelson Bay and North of the Hunter River.
In an 11 page report the scientists noted that the area had “been severely modified” in the past two centuries “with habitat highly fragmented” as a result of clearing for agriculture, housing, sand mining and roads.
The report pointed to recent estimates based on individual road surveys, hospitalisation rates and from Port Stephens Koalas’ “intensive surveys” that suggest the population might “currently contain 100 to 200 animals”. The authors go on to note that a large proportion “approximately 125 to 200 animals” occurrs “within the Tomaree population”.
Further, a population viability analysis of the Tomaree Koalas suggested that with the current rate of detected mortality, the population would be extinct within a decade. And highlighted the threat of future large wildfires.
The authors concluded the report by saying: “The Port Stephens area and south of Nelson Bay/Karuah River) is eligible to be listed as an Endangered population as, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it is facing a very high risk of extinction.”
The recommendation didn’t surprise care and rescue organisation Port Stephens Koalas.
“There’s no doubt in my mind the Office of Environment and Heritage will uphold this, from everything that we have seen,” secretary Ron Land said.
But the determination didn’t deter him from their work.
“We’re not giving up,” he said.
“What an indictment on us it would be if we said ‘it’s all too hard’.”
Port Stephens Council’s Koala Management Committee chair Cr Geoff Dingle said to list the population as endangered should require more careful housing planning.
“The more we isolate their habitat, the more at risk they are,” he said.
The report will go under review before a determination is made.