Volunteers from Wildlife of the Central Highlands (WOTCH) have found a koala on one of their wildlife surveys in an area on the slopes of the Baw Baw plateau where that species had not been sighted in almost two decades.

They report:

“VicForests have begun logging a site of biological and geological significance, an area home not only to an array of threatened species, but also our iconic Koala.

Last night Wotch volunteers recorded the Koala within an area of forest being clear-felled off the south face of the mighty Baw Baw Plateau. Not sighted in the area for nearly 20 years, these sightings in the Ash forests are extremely rare!”

The koala was in a Mountain Grey Gum, in a forest of predominantly Mountain Ash.

There is no Koala protection in the management prescriptions for the Central Highlands. So WOTCH is urging people to email the environment minister (Lily D’Ambrosio) and raise their concerns for coupe 483-504-0015 ‘Lazarev’. Her email is lily.d’ambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au