Koalas 'behaving really weird' as ex-Cyclone Alfred bears down – ABC News
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BERITA BAHASA INDONESIA
TOK PISIN
By Carly Williams
Topic:Animals
Koalas are moving to strange locations as Cyclone Alfred gets close. (Supplied)
Wildlife rescuers on Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, off Brisbane, are reporting strange behaviour from the island's koala colony as ex-Cyclone Alfred makes for the coast.
"Koalas at the moment are behaving really weird, they're ending up at weird places," head rescuer Paulie Debono said.
His organisation, Wildlife Rescue Minjerribah — which has a workforce of Aboriginal Quandamooka locals — has managed back-to-back call-outs on Straddie this week.
Paulie spoke to the ABC's Indigenous Affairs Team on Friday while attending to an injured kookaburra that had been windswept into a tree.
"I've had to get koalas out of peoples' houses, yards and fences," he said.
"[They've] been hanging over the water [and beach] where it's getting bloody washed away by the tide."
Koalas don't build nests and are very exposed to the weather. (ABC News: Carly Williams)
It's the end of the breeding season, a time when many koalas "went bush", according to Paulie.
Many have now re-emerged and are coming "down low" because "they know something's going on".
"They've never seen a cyclone before, they only live for 12 or 13 years if they're lucky and the last cyclone was 50 years ago," he said.
"They're slowly coming out again, the little buggers, so they're keeping me busy.
"With the atmosphere and what's going on … they don't like the [wind] pressures."
Paulie recently rescued a 3-metre Tiger Shark at Main Beach North Stradbroke Island while she was giving birth to four pups. (Supplied)
Living on a houseboat at North Stradbroke's One Mile, Moreton Bay, Paulie has had an extra layer of stress during Alfred but says he'll be "100 per cent staying on the boat".
With ferries suspended, Wildlife Rescue Minjerribah — which is funded by community donations — has set up a triage clinic on Paulie's boat with food, syringes, teats, pain relief and medi-cribs.
"Medi-cribs are little incubators so if we get a Joey that needs to get warm, we can put them in there and monitor," Paulie said.
"We've dotted our Is and crossed our Ts."
Paulie Debono has set up a temporary clinic on his houseboat on North Stradbroke Island with a medi-crib — a small incubator that can keep joey kangaroos warm. (Supplied)
Well, sort of, according to behavioural ecologist Valentina Mella, a senior lecturer at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney.
While there isn't scientific evidence that koalas can tell if a cyclone is coming, Valentina says wildlife rescuers like Paulie are likely observing a "general behavioural response" from the animals as they try to get themselves in a safe spot.
"Koalas don't build nests … and so they are very exposed to weather — wind bothers them in particular."
Valentina Mella says the high wind and heavy rains are likely driving koalas to seek safety. (Supplied)
She said koalas usually preferred the higher part of the canopy in normal conditions for the best leaves and to avoid humans and dogs.
"On windy days, koalas come down lower … They are very aware of the risks of being on the top of the canopy.
"They end up in people's backyards or under people's roofs, just because that's the only place where they could find protection."
We've heard stories of birds singing or dogs getting agitated just before an earthquake, but the US Geological Survey says there's no consistent or reliable evidence for the claims.
Valentina said it is the case that a lot of animals are more sensitive than humans to changes in air pressure and scent.
"They're sort of looking for places where they can wait it out," Valentina says.
"It's not like they have a sixth sense that we don't possess, it's just that their senses are much more developed than ours.
"We don't need them anymore, right? We're in the safety of our homes."
Don't hesitate to get straight onto a wildlife rescue group, Paulie says.
He runs his service independently on North Stradbroke Island but encourages people on the mainland to call WIRES on 1300 094 737.
"There's a lot of very dedicated people out there who are on call and on the ball 24/7."
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