UQ is investigating whether cows are really secret koala serial killers

UQ research will investigate whether cows are secretly stalking and killing the humble koala. The mind boggles, writes Des Houghton.

T HE University of Queensland news service is a source of humour and bewilderment, as I discovered again after spotting a press release headed: “The humble cow: a koala serial killer?”

The theory is that far from being harmless herbivores, cows may be deliberately trampling koalas to death.

UQ PhD student Alex Jiang is investigating whether the humble cow is secretly destroying Australia's koala population.

PhD candidate Alex Jiang has been taking witness statements from farmers.

A dead koala was found with a hoof print, and farmers have observed cows aggressively chasing koalas, he reports.

In seeking the truth, Jiang mounted a fake koala on a small radio-controlled car and sent it zooming into the paddock at Spicers Hidden Vale near Grandchester in Ipswich. An accompanying video shows a startled cow jumping into the air as the fake koala approaches. Field trials continue.

UQ PhD student Alex Jiang is using this device to investigate whether the humble cow is secretly destroying Australia's koala population.