Well I've seen the new young one named Summer a few times now. Quite a calm koala, I think a little over 3kg. Not sure if this is a girl or boy yet, so hard to be sure by a face!
Hoping this is a girl and that she may consider moving in - time will tell.
Thank you for the awesome comments, I know it all takes time, so they are very much appreciated!
Aw - how lovely and a beautiful shot. I'm sure he/she will be very happy there :) Your reply on the snake post was interesting. I can't imagine having a snake living in my garage and being happy about that, but then, it's not something we're used to in our part of the world. And if you have an arrangement with your slithery friend - rather have a snake than a rat any day - then that's great :)
@vignouse such a good question Richard! Had you asked me that a few months ago I would have said more than I would say today as we are back in drought. A big way the food trees cope is to throw leaf, which means much food for the koalas is on the ground and crunchy. The past 2 weeks has really seen everything drying up severely, the grass is brown, and many of the koalas are somewhere else. I wish I knew just where they go, I suspect they are having to move a lot.
But to answer you in numbers - I think that around 12 is a fair top number. 1 alpha, 2-3 young males, 7-8 females, with up to 6 of them breeding age. This means that up to 5 joey's would then be produced, and would have to move on or replace aging females or young males from that year that move on. I would love to say more, but I've seen colonies grow bigger than that in a small area and have sudden collapses and you asked for a sustainable amount.
Last year 30 individuals were seen here in total, but as this is a natural corridor, many of them were moving through.
If you have a little time - the details of last year are on my site: https://koalagardens.net.au/koala-colony.html
@shutterbug49 I don't tend to post many photos here of travelling koalas that come through that are less than calm with me about because they are not very photogenic hahahaha But all of 'my' koalas would move away if they were on the ground or low in a tree and I approached. One must remember they are most often 15 - 30 metres up a tree when I photograph them, I just make them look very close :) Thank you for the lovely compliment - definitely my regular colony recognise me and find me rather boring as I do all in my power to get their attention for a second to snap these images hahahaha
@paul10 Thanks Paul - maybe I should make it clear - I would rather have a python (which is non-venomous) than a rat any day. Rats are my second least favourite animal in the world because of the risk of disease they pose.
@vignouse thanks Richard :) I have pretty detailed reports the system I wrote produces on what is happening year by year. To have 10 sightings in Dec 2014 and then 145 in Dec 2018, even with losing Mist and Krissy in care half the month, says I've got something right :)
But to answer you in numbers - I think that around 12 is a fair top number. 1 alpha, 2-3 young males, 7-8 females, with up to 6 of them breeding age. This means that up to 5 joey's would then be produced, and would have to move on or replace aging females or young males from that year that move on. I would love to say more, but I've seen colonies grow bigger than that in a small area and have sudden collapses and you asked for a sustainable amount.
Last year 30 individuals were seen here in total, but as this is a natural corridor, many of them were moving through.
If you have a little time - the details of last year are on my site: https://koalagardens.net.au/koala-colony.html