Helping the Redlands koalas is as easy as reporting sightings during the Koala Action Group’s annual koala count-a-thon on 19-20 October.

During the weekend event, supported by Redland City Council, locals and visitors are urged to report all sightings in a bid to protect our koala population.

Council environment spokesman Paul Gleeson (Division 9) urged families to make the count-a-thon a fun family activity.

“It’s a rewarding way to help us protect these special Redlanders. You can start by looking for them in your own backyard and street trees, or make a day of it and explore our bush land and parks,’’ Cr Gleeson said.

“Kids will really enjoy trying to spot koalas in the trees – and it’s not just eucalypts, check out all the trees, especially if it’s hot as they like to find somewhere nice and shady!
“The more people who join in, the better we will be able to help our koalas.’’
Koala Action Group president Debbie Pointing said the information was critical in helping to protect local koala populations.

“Participants will be asked for the exact location of the koala, whether it looks healthy, the type of tree it is in (eucalypt or other) and whether they can identify the sex,’’ she said.
There is a range of options to log your sightings over the Count-a-thon weekend, including a new Koala Action Group online map. You can:
• Phone 3820 1103 from 8am – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, 19-20 October.
• Post a sighting at www.facebook.com/KoalaActionGroup;
• Log it on the map at www.koalagroup.asn.au/report-a-koala-sighting; or
• Email admin@koalagroup.asn.au.

According  to the Koala Action group, successful koala spotting starts with learning more about a koala’s favourite trees, looking for scratching on tree trunks and noticing droppings on the ground around tree bases.
Koala sightings can be logged on the Koala Action Group’s online map all year round.