This project has many components. One component is understanding the paths that Koalas are taking in moving across the landscape.

Jaliigirr Biodiversity Alliance and its partners have been undertaking work on Koalas, their habitat, and their genetics within Gumbaynggirr Country over several years. Specially trained wildlife detection dogs from Canines for Wildlife were used to locate Koala faeces, most often found at the bases of trees, and those faeces were then sent off for genetic analyses. The tests allow us to not only understand which of the Koalas are related, but also understand the disease status of Koalas.

Koalas were surveyed across 115 sites. Over 700 koala scat locations were recorded, and 92 koalas were uniquely identified. Koalas as far apart as 13 km were found to be related. Closely related Koalas were found either side of the Pacific Highway indicating the importance of structures such as the Bongil Bongil National Park Wildlife Bridge. Such structures allow animals to move safely across what would otherwise have been an impenetrable barrier for all non-flying animals.

Sites surveyed for Koalas ranged from coastal regions to Dorrigo, an elevation change of nearly 1,000 metres. Scientists describe the Koala population studied by the Jaliigirr Biodiversity Alliance partners as panmictic, that is all animals have a chance of meeting and mating with other Koalas. For animals to meet, there needs to be effective and appropriate wildlife corridors upon which animals can safely travel.

The location of a group of Chlamydia free koalas in the Fernbrook cluster is interesting and could highlight a healthy group of koalas of high conservation value. More koala scats need to be found in this area for analysis to better understand the disease status within this group.

Despite the loss of habitat in the Bellingen-Coffs Harbour LGAs, a healthy population of koalas seems to persist. This study shows the importance of the remaining wildlife corridors, and by extension, hints at the risk to this population should those corridors be broken.