Are koalas detected more effectively by systematic spotlighting or diurnal searches?
Lachlan Wilmott A D , Dympna Cullen B , George Madani C , Martin Krogh A and Kylie Madden A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, PO Box 513, Wollongong, NSW 2520, Australia.
B PMB 146, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.
C PO Box 3113, Hilltop, NSW 2575, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: Lachlan.wilmott@environment.nsw.gov.au
Australian Mammalogy 41(1) 157-160 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM18006
Submitted: 26 June 2017 Accepted: 4 May 2018 Published: 7 June 2018
Abstract
Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are difficult to detect due to their cryptic nature, occurrence at low densities and broad distribution. We compare the relative effectiveness of two common, direct survey techniques used to detect koalas: spotlighting and diurnal searches. Seventy-six 2-ha sites were surveyed using both spotlighting and diurnal searching. Each site was surveyed for 0.5 person-hours, such that search area and effort were equal. In this study, spotlighting was found to be 3.25 times more effective at detecting koalas than day searches. Therefore, where access and terrain allows, spotlighting surveys offer a significant advantage over diurnal searches in the detection of koalas.
Additional keywords: fauna monitoring, Metropolitan Special Area, Phascolarctos cinereus, survey, Upper Nepean State Conservation Area.
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