2016-07-12 - Item 10 - Att 1 - Koala Conservation Plan

                                                           Noosa Shire Koala Conservation Plan 2016




1.2.7       Implement translocation consistent with State policy
1.2.7        Implement translocation consistent with State policy
TheNature
The  NatureConservation
              Conservation      (Koala)
                             (Koala)     Conservation
                                     Conservation     Plan Plan
                                                            2006 2006    and Management
                                                                  and Management       ProgramProgram
                                                                                                2006-
2006-2016
2016          sets
     sets strict     strict
                 policy      policy to
                         in respect in koala
                                        respect     to koala State
                                              translocation.   translocation.    State
                                                                     approvals are      approvals
                                                                                     required and are
required and
proponents  need proponents     needthat
                   to demonstrate      to the
                                           demonstrate      that the re-introduction/re-stocking
                                               re-introduction/re-stocking   of koalas in an area will of
koalas in
actually   an area
         benefit local will
                       koalaactually benefit
                              populations.  Any local  koala
                                                  release     populations.
                                                           requires           Anymonitoring
                                                                     a long-term   release requires
                                                                                              programato
assess the success of the translocation. The risk of koala translocation is as follows: risk of
long-term   monitoring     program   to  assess    the  success    of the  translocation.   The
koala translocation is as follows:
     •       Potential disease transmission to local populations
     •       Impacts on the social structure and range of existing koalas
        Potential disease transmission to local populations
    •      Potentially
         Impacts  on theoutcompeting    local koalas
                           social structure          for food
                                              and range    of existing koalas
    •   Potentially
            Alterationoutcompeting     local koalas for food
                       of local gene pool
        Alteration of local gene pool
     •      Introducing koalas that are not accustomed to local tree species
        Introducing koalas that are not accustomed to local tree species
    •      Releasingkoalas
         Releasing      koalas in
                                in area
                                     areawhere koalas
                                           where       have not
                                                    koalas       beennot
                                                              have     ablebeen
                                                                            to survive
                                                                                  ablepreviously
                                                                                        to survive
         previously
The advantages of translocation include:

The •advantages
          Koalas of
                 can  be relocatedinclude:
                    translocation  from high risk, to low risk areas
     •       Koalas are an iconic species and are of great interest to tourists
   • Koalas   can bekoalas
          Introduced   relocated  fromdiversify
                             may help   high risk,
                                                thetogene
                                                      low pool
                                                           risk areas
    Koalas are an iconic species and are of great interest to tourists
    •	Koalas may have been hunted into local extinction previously. Re-introducing koalas
    Introduced koalas may help diversify the gene pool
          may be a viable option.
    Koalas may have been hunted into local extinction previously. Re-introducing
        koalas
Council may be may be a viable
               supportive        option.
                          of koala translocation but only if proponents have State permits and
comply with the State Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2006 and Management
Council 2006-2016.
Program    may be supportive
                         The koalas ofwould
                                       koalaneed
                                               translocation    but local
                                                    to be from the    onlyvicinity
                                                                            if proponents      have20State
                                                                                   (i.e. less than
permits
kms  from and    comply
           release         with theand
                    site), healthy,    State  Nature
                                         at risk         Conservation
                                                 from unavoidable         (Koala) Conservation
                                                                      development.     Proposals for Plan
2006 and Management
translocation  to Council land  Program   2006-2016.
                                 will be considered        The koalaswith
                                                       in consultation    would   need
                                                                              State       to be from
                                                                                     Government    on an the
local
as     vicinity
   needs   basis.(i.e.
                  Some  less
                          koalathan   20 kms
                                 experts         from
                                          maintain   thatrelease   site), healthy,
                                                           current translocation       andis ineffective
                                                                                  policy     at risk from and
unavoidable development. Proposals for translocation to Council land will be
needs   review. Council   will observe  any  new   policy changes    as they  arise.
considered in consultation with State Government and on an as needs basis.



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