Over 60 sightings have been reported, plus many reports of male koalas bellowing at night.

Sighting numbers do not necessarily correlate to the number of koalas in town, but they provide us with a pattern of activity and movement. At least two new adult males have moved into town. One of them has been seen fighting with old "No Ears" on a resident's verandah, which may indicate a changing of the guard.

Despite his troubles, "No Ears" has still been seen in his usual hangouts, including with lady friends.

NPWS and our group have been aware for some years of a koala colony on Yacaaba. Sightings recorded in recent years have been scant, lone females and a mother and baby here and there.

This month, Peter Brown, who regularly climbs Yacaaba, sighted a large healthy male koala at the top.

"Big Red" is quite shy and has reddish-coloured fur. This is the first sighting of a male koala on Yacaaba for many years.

It was also good to have a report of a koala from Pindimar, the first for this season.

Koalas have been seen this month in Mireen, Margaret, East Close, Elouera, West Close, Russell, Patanga, Coorilla, Cooloon, Seaview, Kikarra, Kingfisher, Monterra and Bowral Streets, and of course, Pindimar and Yacaaba.

Thank you to our band of regular koala spotters who have reported their sightings.

We would love to have a few more regulars, so keep your eyes peeled and call us on our Koala Hotline answering machine (4997 0878) and leave the details of your koala experiences. By the way, if you don't actually see a koala but hear one grunting in the night, (a very distinctive noise); we would like to have reports of this as well.

The Hotline number can always be found in the front page of the local phone book or on the noticeboard outside the Hawks Nest Newsagency.

For assistance with any sick, injured or threatened wildlife, including koalas, please call Great Lakes Wildlife Rescue (4997 6388). They direct koala calls to us for rescue.

The next meeting of the group will be held on Tuesday, January 17, at 7.30 pm in the Silver Dolphin Room in the Tea Gardens Hotel. All are welcome.

Merry Christmas everyone.