AAGIM is committed to the safety of its employees, the safety of the Kangaroo Island community and the protection of all wildlife, particularly koalas.
In the 2020 fires, it is estimated that over 30,000 koalas died. Rescue services were inundated with animals needing treatment and Australians donated large sums to aid with rescue and treatment. Many of these deaths occurred in blue gum plantations, where koalas had lived for over 20 years.
These same fires destroyed almost half of Kangaroo Island, leaving deep scars in many parts of the community and environment.
Clearing the plantations will help to prevent such wildfires, protect the community and preserve the lives of the estimated 20,000 remaining animals.
Our specific koala care and management systems include:
- AAGIM employs four full-time koala spotters whose role is dedicated to spotting koalas ahead of harvesting and providing this feedback to harvest operators.
- Each koala spotter is equipped with over $10,000 of equipment including: thermal binoculars, high-magnification regular binoculars, laser pointers & 2-way radio for communication with harvest operators.
- AAGIM operates under a Department of Environment and Water approved Koala Management Plan, which is reviewed regularly.
- When a koala is spotted, harvest operators are notified of its location, avoid the koala and nine trees are left as a refuge.
- In the last 15 months koala spotters have spotted over 4,000 koalas. Our records indicate that 10 have been taken to either wildlife refuges or veterinarian practices.
- AAGIM’s harvest teams are harvesting plantation timber damaged in the 2019/20 fires which due to degradation and the subsequent extreme danger to life cannot be entered on foot.