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Identification history
Comments from moderator
see my comment about forensic work on the video by Jaimie Hopkins| Insufficient or inconclusive evidence | 16 Jan 2026 | DonFletcher | ||
| Phascolarctos cinereus | 13 Jan 2026 | Rigsel | ||
| Phascolarctos cinereus | 13 Jan 2026 | Rigsel |
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User's notes
Camping near Cotter Campground, we came across this guy. Before we could see its back, it was facing toward us, and both me and my mate agreed it was a koala
8 comments
DPRees125
wrote:
13 Jan 2026
If you need help extracting more images from your video I can help, let me know
UserjhfDgtCQ
wrote:
14 Jan 2026
If you can give me the exact location, our group could go out and do a scat search. Keith 0427 546 156. ACT Govt might be interested in placing an audio device there.
DonFletcher
wrote:
15 Jan 2026
Hi all, So I can verify this evidence as a koala, could you please make the video available eg by emailing don.fletcher999@gmail.com if it is small enough or by zipping it or by placing it on a dropbox/ or google drive such as here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16zeK3RiXDA0MuOgmr5O7EnqtvRVyxK76?q=sharedwith:public%20parent:16zeK3RiXDA0MuOgmr5O7EnqtvRVyxK76
Alternatively some good images from the video showing the head
Note google drive only works for gmail addresses.
Alternatively some good images from the video showing the head
Note google drive only works for gmail addresses.
DonFletcher
wrote:
16 Jan 2026
Hi all, Jaimie Hopkins, the ACT Govt koala person is on the case. After Jaimie did some forensic magic on the video (think Silent Witness crossed with CSI supervised by Abbie Sciuto in NCIS) to make it easier to see the animal, we both and her colleagues all think it is nearly impossible to tell from the video but is more likely to be imagery of a wombat than a koala. Local Parks staff have been asked to pay particular attention to any other koala reports in the area, or signs or sounds.
jaimiehopkins
wrote:
16 Jan 2026
Ha why thank you Don! Although I think wombat is likely, koala is certainly not out of the question. A few years ago, one of the rangers told me of a report they'd received of koala-like grunting at Blue Range Hut Camping Ground (about 13 km up Brindabella Road). I assumed they must have mistaken it for a fallow deer, which can sound quite similar, but you never know. Thanks a bunch for sharing, Rigsel, and keep an eye (and an ear!) out everyone :)
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- Rigsel Recorded by
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Collections
Rigsel Inconclusive
Record quality
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
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