CSIRO's Koala Population Estimates Take a Turn: A Triple in Three Years, But Conservationists Are Skeptical
The latest data release has sparked a debate among koala advocates and logging supporters. The CSIRO's National Koala Monitoring Program, developed with 50 partners, reveals a dramatic shift in koala population estimates. In 2023, the initial estimate placed the koala population between 287,830 and 628,010 in Australia. Fast forward to the present, and the numbers have skyrocketed to a range of 729,000 to 918,000.
But this surge in numbers has raised eyebrows, particularly among those who have long advocated for koala conservation. The MP for the New South Wales Mid North Coast seat of Oxley, Michael Kemp, is among those speaking out. He claims the public has been misled for decades regarding koala numbers, emphasizing the under-reporting of koala populations.
The region's logging moratorium, implemented to create the Great Koala National Park, has been a contentious issue. Kemp argues that the state government's push for the park, despite the timber industry's opposition, showcases a disregard for evidence. However, the Australian Koala Foundation's Deborah Tabart offers a contrasting view, dismissing the CSIRO figures as 'categorically wrong.'
Tabart, a veteran koala researcher, emphasizes the foundation's scientific surveys dating back to 1988. She challenges the CSIRO's findings, insisting that their numbers are far lower than 100,000 and demanding the underlying science and data to support the higher estimates. The controversy intensifies as Tabart warns that the project's announcement lacks the necessary peer-reviewed scientific backing.
CSIRO's Response: Better Research Techniques
In response to the skepticism, the CSIRO attributed the population surge to improved research techniques. They highlighted the deployment of audio recorders and thermal drone technology, revealing koalas in previously unknown habitats. Mathew Crowther, a biologist at the University of Sydney, supports this explanation, attributing the increase to more surveys and better techniques.
Despite the rising estimates, Crowther reassures that the Great Koala National Park remains justified. He notes that koala populations have declined in many areas, particularly in northern New South Wales, where the park is proposed. The Federal Environment Minister, Murray Watt, echoed this sentiment, praising the National Koala Monitoring Program for its robust science-based estimates.
The CSIRO plans to publish a peer-reviewed scientific paper on koala population estimates by the end of the year or early 2026, aiming to address the skepticism and provide further clarity on the matter.
