CQU koala researcher Dr Alistair Melzer is featured on the National Geographic News website and the related Pulse of the Planet radio podcasts and broadcasts (presented by the National Science Foundation) to over 309 public and commercial stations around the world.

His reports on the koalas of St Bees Island, off the coast of Mackay, are even reaching the Voice of America and the Armed Forces Radio Network.

Dr Alistair Melzer

National Geographic News reports that St Bees Island is changing from a koala-friendly forest to a koala-unfriendly forest.

It quotes examples from Dr Melzer, who has studied koalas for nearly 20 years and the St Bees Island koalas for 8 years.

The report also links to the Pulse of the Planet website's podcasts from Dr Melzer and his Earthwatch volunteers in the field at St Bees, as they use radio tracking collars to trace koala movements.

Alistair and friend on St Bees Island

The National Geographic News site is available at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/04/070427-koalas.html

The Pulse of the Planet podcasts are now available via: http://www.pulseplanet.com/ 

There is an initial podcast at: http://www.pulseplanet.com/archive/Apr07/3955.html

and follow-up daily reports at:

http://www.pulseplanet.com/archive/May07/3961.html

http://www.pulseplanet.com/archive/May07/3962.html

http://www.pulseplanet.com/archive/May07/3963.html

Details of the St Bees Island Koala Research Project are at: http://www.koalaresearch.net.au/StBees.html