GPS Tracking Reveals How Koalas Survived a Brushfire
15 Apr 2014With the help of GPS technology, researchers now know how a group of koalas in Australia survived a nearby brushfire.
If the researchers from the University of Queensland hadn’t fitted koalas with global positioning systems (GPS) trackers prior to the brush fire that broke out in Queensland, they might not know how they managed to survive the fire.The koalas were being tracked by GPS tracking devices to learn more about their natural habitat, eating habits and food sources, and their general movements throughout the day.
In January, when a brushfire made its way through Stradbroke Island in Brisbane, the researchers expected their study to be over and the koalas be a victim of the fires. However, when they returned to the area once the smoke had cleared, they found their koalas safe and well.
With the help of the GPS tracking technology, we not only know that koalas are cute and cuddly. But they’re smart too. The scientists figured out that the koalas were astute enough to escape the fires by hiding out near a stream until the fires were out.
Dr. William Ellis, head researcher for the institute in Queensland, told reporters he doesn’t yet know if they have managed to develop important survival skills, or if it was just luck that when they attempted to escape, they managed to find refuge in the stream. He said,
“Obviously the koalas, even when they’re really close to where the fire is really hot, if they’re in the right place at the right time, they will survive.”
Koalas are a herbivorous marsupial animal that live in Australia, most closely related to wombats. They are typically found in the coastal area of Australia, such as Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland as the koalas in this study are.
Most koalas live in the woodlands area, eating leaves of eucalyptus trees as their main food source. Due to the limited food sources, they are mostly sedentary and sleep approximately 20 hours a day.
Bonding of koalas, as researchers have figured out, only exists with the offspring and their mothers. Male koalas in their adult years typically communicate with loud sounds as to intimidate their rival adult male koalas, and attract the females.
Now that they have survived the brushfires, more data will be collected as the GPS tracking study continues. Ellis hopes to find out how they cope in natural disasters, surprise attacks, and adapt following these disasters in their natural habitats.
Due to the brushfire and now tracking the koalas afterwards, Ellis and his research team have an inside look into how exactly the koalas adapt following a natural disaster. It is rare and something they couldn’t have predicted.
“It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that koalas do know when danger is approaching and take precautions,” Ellis said.
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