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With Covid-19 restrictions in place it was more difficult to organise numbers for participation in our koala survey this year. We were limited to 20 participants but with a few late withdrawals we finally ended up with a team of 17 volunteers to help monitor the koalas in this area of the Great Otway National Park. We were pleased to welcome five young children who can all be congratulated for the interest and enthusiasm they showed during the activity.

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It was a keen and enthusiastic group ready for the start of the survey on Grey River Rd

As usual we stopped at Kennet River Reserve for morning tea before heading up Grey River Road to start the survey.

2morningteaSome of the group enjoying morning tea in the sunshine at Kennet River Reserve

Once we had parked the cars we were delighted to find a koala right where we begin our survey.

3It was high up in one of the Blue Gums

Heading up Grey River Road we were all carefully peering into the trees along the roadside and also into the gully and up on the hillside.

4Looking up into the trees on the hillside

The children stayed committed to the task and certainly their sharp eyes often spotted the next koala before the more mature members of the group did.

5The children were so excited to point out their finds

It was sometimes hard to see them as the koalas were high in the trees and the foliage was at times very dense.6

7Sometimes we were lucky and the koalas were easy to spot

We managed a count of just 33 koalas – 8 less than in 2019. The numbers have certainly decreased over the years

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Thanks to Phil, our photographer – its not an easy task

Margaret MacDonald