A new koala-counting map has been launched in the hope its data could be used to inform policy changes and create wildlife corridors across the south-west.
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Not-for-profit, Koroit-based rehabilitation organisation Mosswood Wildlife owner Tracey Wilson said the new website would allow residents to mark where they'd seen a koala and upload a photo.
"We need to have evidence of their existence and movement in our towns and cities to allow us to influence the relevant organisations in the creation of wildlife corridors," she said.
"Our interactive map allows us to collect that data and gives people an opportunity to get excited about the change it could make.
"Because at the end of the day, koalas are disappearing - we don't get as many call outs for koalas as we used to get in Warrnambool."
Ms Wilson said the map - which had been two years in the making - covered the entire south-west region.
"We want to make a point of heading out across the region - to Portland, Terang and Camperdown for example. We had three calls for the Terang area last week.
"We'd like to help wherever possible. We've just managed to get a $20,000 grant from the International Fund for Animal Welfare to plant trees. Of course, we want them to be as close as possible to us because finding leaves for koalas is getting harder and harder.
"Ideally, we'd have our own plantation which would be just amazing but the idea is to have a situation where animals don't need to come into care in the first place because there's so much habitat out there."
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Jessica Greenan
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering both Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering both Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
