Wildlife warning

THREE new koala zones have been created in the Byron Shire to help prevent the marsupials being hit by cars.

Byron Shire Council introduced the zones in areas where koalas are known to cross on Broken Head Road at Suffolk Park, Coolamon Scenic Drive at Coorabell and Coorabell Road at Federal.

They include vehicle-activated signs that are designed to warn drivers when they are approaching the speed limit and Koala Zone paint on the road which aims to encourage them to slow down and look out for wildlife.

If drivers are going under 70km per hour they will see a green happy face. People driving over the speed limit will see a red sad face, while those driving close to the 80km per hour speed limit will be shown their speed.

Five koalas have been hit on Broken Head Road this year, and many more in other koala hot spots across the shire.

They include a well-known male called Moji, who was killed on Broken Head Road at the start of the breeding season in August, and another male known as Braveheart who died near Bangalow in late October.

Koala road strikes and driver speed will be monitored at the sites over the next four years to help Council understand the impacts of vehicle-activated signs on driver speeds and koalas.

The locations of the koala zones were chosen with the help of wildlife carers from not-for-profit organisations Bangalow Koalas and Friends of the Koala.

The signs were funded by a grant from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy and Environment under the NSW Koala Strategy.

The new koala zones are in addition to existing zones on Mafeking Road at Goonengerry and Bangalow Road at Byron Bay.

While wildlife can be seen on our roads at any time, koalas are most active from June to December, especially at dusk and dawn.

To report a sick or injured Koala phone the 24-hour Friends of the Koala hotline on 6622 1233.