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\u201cTrying to answer that has been part of the study, especially with the echidnas,\u201d Dr Lavinia said. \u201cBut also with the koalas is where we return them to, is it an area they\u2019re utilising and where are they utilising?\u201d<\/p>\n
She hoped to write some papers on the research in the next 12 months.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe data that we’re doing with the post-release tracking, we’re also combining with the hospital data as well,\u201d she said. \u201cUsing the information about what are the injuries they’re coming in for and how long are they staying in hospital and how long is their rehabilitation? So trying to utilise all of that information to get an understanding of how they fare when they’re released.\u201d<\/p>\n
The study will also be adapted to include new species of wildlife.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll continue to add in species as we can and as it\u2019s relevant because there\u2019s so much we don\u2019t know about Australian wildlife in general,\u201d Dr Lavinia said. \u201cBut also what we don\u2019t know about our population, our local catchment area.\u201d<\/p>\n
The study has been supported by Federation, Melbourne and Macquarie universities, with funding from WIRES and the state government.<\/p>\n
Members of the research team include primary supervisor Dr Sarah Preston, hospital director Nikki Shanahan, wildlife rehabilitator Jen Greenhalgh, veterinarian Natasha Bassett, veterinary nurse Melissa Brown and Federation University honours student Jess Davies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A STUDY tracking the movement of koalas, echindas and birds of prey is aiming not only to gather more information about these animals, but how they exist within western Victoria. The research through Ballarat Wildlife Hospital and Federation University has been monitoring members of these species since 2023. Animals had been brought to the hospital […]<\/p>\n