A new koala-saving initiative in Toorbul has seen the installation of a special one-way doggy door that allows koalas to escape from busy roads and safely return to their bushland habitats.
Life-Saving Initiative in Moreton Bay Region
The doggy door, officially called the Fauna Escape Hatch and developed by Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) and trialled in Toorbul, has been designed to reduce the number of koalas hit by vehicles. This device, featuring suspended aluminium or stainless-steel prongs, creates a passage for koalas to push through but prevents them from returning to dangerous roadways.
Sixteen hatches have already been installed in the Moreton Bay area, with plans for more.
The trial began in 2023 and involved over 85 koalas who had completed treatment at EVE’s intensive care clinic. These koalas consistently used the escape hatch over traditional methods like escape poles.
According to EVE’s CEO, Michael Hornby, the hatches offer a solution for koalas and other wildlife to move between habitats while avoiding roads.
Koala Behaviour and Safety
EVE researchers have observed that koalas instinctively push under barriers rather than climb over them, making the ground-level hatch a natural fit for their behaviour. EVE’s scientific manager, Deidre de Villiers, noted that koalas easily detect the break in the fence and move through the hatch.
Cameras monitor the hatch, and early footage shows koalas using it successfully to avoid re-entering the road.
The hatches have already proven useful. One instance was captured on video, where a koala made multiple attempts to return to the road but was stopped by the hatch. The device effectively kept the animal out of harm’s way.
Plans for Expansion
With vehicle strikes responsible for killing an average of 300 koalas each year in South East Queensland, this project has drawn interest from other councils and wildlife conservation groups.
Transport and Main Roads Queensland is collaborating with EVE to expand the project. The goal is to trial the hatches in more locations across the state and eventually nationwide.
The current trial received funding from the Commonwealth to offset the environmental impacts of infrastructure projects like the Coomera Connector, which runs through koala habitats. The Fauna Escape Hatch is a practical and innovative solution to protect wildlife and motorists from collisions.
Mr Hornby explained that the faster these hatches are installed across road corridors, the greater the reduction in risks for both animals and humans.
Koala breeding season, which runs from July to December, sees increased movement of koalas as they search for new habitats and mates, further emphasising the need for widespread use of this device. With promising early results, communities and conservationists alike hope the trial leads to long-term success in protecting Australia’s koala population.
Published 18-Oct-2024
