DNA profiling koala populations through citizen scientists
Koalas have families just like us and understanding where they come from and migrate to is crucial to future conservation planning. Griffith University researchers are turning to the public for help with a new project that monitors the movements and family relationships of koalas to help us plan, assess and understand our beloved native animal.
The project will see citizen scientists spending time in nature spotting, photographing, and recording the koalas, and collecting koala scat for DNA profiling.
We Need Your Help: Send in Scat (aka Koala Poo)!
Researchers are appealing to koala enthusiasts, school groups and members of the public to help conservation efforts by sending in any koala scat they find for analysis.
We’re encouraging citizen scientists to photograph and document where they’ve spotted a koala, collect up the droppings and post them to the laboratory’s reply-paid address.
Those who answer the call will receive a report on their findings and may even have the opportunity to name koalas that are discovered!
Mail samples to:
- Reply Paid 61015
- Griffith University
- Attn: Carney Matheson
- 170 Kessels Road
- Building N25, Room 2.23
- Nathan Qld 4111
Place one scat into a small envelope, coin pouch or simply into a folded piece of paper, and put into an envelope with your name. Place this into a second regular-sized envelope with the reply paid address and send to Griffith University.
Send an email to KoalaDNA@griffith.edu.au with your name, the location where the scat was collected and if possible a photograph of the koala in the tree from where the scat was collected. A high-quality photograph is not required and is best taken using a mobile phone.
Our research
Understanding the relationships between koalas is super important when it comes to helping with koala management and future planning. When we know where daddy koala lives, who his kids are, and even who his mates are, we can make more decisions to help better their living conditions. Up until now, koala monitoring programs have been limited to basic counting, which doesn’t tell us anything about their families, relationships or movement patterns. This DNA mapping research is the first of its kind in Australia and allows us to map family trees, so we can assess and adjust our conservation efforts. It’s a project where you, your school group or any other members of the community can really make a difference for our furry friends.
Track koalas in your area
When you send in a koala scat you will receive a report, sharing the information we already have on that koala. If it's the first time it's being profiled you will be offered the opportunity to name that koala.
With your help, these findings will provide vital information to have a positive impact on the future of the species.
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Associate Professor Carney Matheson
Program Director and Principal Researcher
- c.matheson@griffith.edu.au
- Location and postal address
- Griffith University
- Attn: Carney Matheson
- 170 Kessels Road
- Building N25
- Nathan QLD 4111