![Shelly Beach Road Trish is in care at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. Picture by Lisa Tisdell Shelly Beach Road Trish is in care at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. Picture by Lisa Tisdell](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/sapAXd8fteEmz8dCxaLv7J/cc7d1bae-95b6-4d5a-8258-10304435da85.jpg/r941_690_2590_1649_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Port Macquarie's urban koala population is crashing.
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The urban koala population was estimated at about 350 in 2021. Fires, habitat loss, car strikes and dog attacks have since taken a toll.
That's according to a letter from Koala Conservation Australia general manager Maria Doherty to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's elected officials.
Port Macquarie's remaining urban koala population estimate is about 250.
But in 2023 alone, the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has treated about 120 with only a third pulling through rehabilitation and being fit enough for release, the letter said.
Ratepayers are set to receive an appeal about the declining urban koala statistics in a newsletter within the council's November 2023 rates notice.
The newsletter will also outline the causes for the urban population decline, the urgency of the situation and the changes in people's behaviour that can lead to reduced koala injuries or deaths.
Cr Lauren Edwards raised the issue at the council's July meeting. The upcoming appeal through the newsletter is the result.
"I am hearing loud and clear they [Koala Conservation Australia] are describing the urban [koala] population is crashing, so we need to get on and do all we can, and to do it as soon as possible," Cr Edwards said.
![A koala is spotted in Port Macquarie's Murray Street. Picture by Emily Walker A koala is spotted in Port Macquarie's Murray Street. Picture by Emily Walker](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/sapAXd8fteEmz8dCxaLv7J/2a29ce64-20a2-4a85-a2d7-d59fc36bd5c4.jpg/r239_0_1191_606_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
'Urgent action is needed'
Ms Doherty welcomed the council's decision to help raise awareness through its rates notice newsletter.
"I'm really grateful they understand that urgent action is needed and they are helping us to get that message out," she said.
Ms Doherty said every single resident could play a part by ensuring they had a koala-friendly backyard, taking appropriate care with their dogs, driving slowly on the roads and calling the koala hospital with any koala sightings.
Port Macquarie is one of the few places with urban koalas.
Cr Nik Lipovac said we can't describe ourselves as the koala capital of Australia if we don't have any koalas around.
"The way it is going at this point in time, unless we continue to take action on a very regular basis in as many ways as possible, we are going to end up having more koala statues than actual koalas," he said.
Cr Adam Roberts said the appeal through the newsletter was quite well thought through and didn't seem to require a lot of council resources.
The area is home to three strong genetically diverse koala populations, two of which are in the hinterland.
The koala hospital's world-first wild koala breeding program aims to bolster the region's koala population.
The joeys bred through the program will be released into non-urban areas after extensive habitat quality assessment. The joeys will be monitored post-release.
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