The first detailed koala survey in New South Wales reveals the marsupial population is larger than once thought. The NSW government announced Thursday that about 274,000 koalas now live across the state. This number is much higher than estimates of 15,000 to 30,000 from the 2022 koala strategy. Researchers surveyed over 1,000 sites including national parks, forests, and private lands. They used new methods like heat-sensing drones and acoustic recorders. The study covered more than 6,500 km of drone flights at night and 400,000 hours of sound recordings during the koala breeding season. The results provide a detailed model of where koalas live and how many are found per hectare. These NSW findings also contributed to a national estimate by CSIRO, placing Australia’s koala numbers between 729,000 and 918,000. This is higher than last year's range but experts say this does not signal a population increase. Professor Mathew Crowther from the University of Sydney, who reviewed the data, said, "It’s a baseline. We should be more interested in what’s happening to the koalas – are they declining or are they increasing or are they disappearing from areas?" He noted some parts of NSW, like the far west and Pilliga region, have very few koalas left. Tanya Pritchard of WWF Australia added the higher numbers reflect better detection, not population growth, and stressed that koalas have suffered a "massive decline." The NSW government confirmed koalas remain endangered due to habitat loss, disease, vehicle accidents, and climate effects. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said, "This survey gives us a clearer understanding of where koalas remain in NSW...Koalas are still endangered, and the threats they face are real." Plans are underway to expand the Great Koala National Park by 176,000 hectares to help protect the species. Political leaders across parties agree the survey supports ongoing conservation but emphasize the need to focus on koala health and habitat preservation. The koala survey marks a key step in guiding future efforts to save this iconic Australian animal.