Who Submits Koala Sightings? Profiling Residents and Identifying Opportunities to Enhance their Experience

Citizen science plays a major role in the conservation of koalas, an endangered species. However, koala sighting submissions are low. This study identified the characteristics of current citizen scientists and examined their experiences in reporting koalas across a range of local koala sighting programs. A total of 2,024 South East Queensland residents completed an online survey in 2022. Respondents answered a range of behavior-related questions that included the number of koala sightings they reported and information about the sighting experience. Other survey questions included demographic characteristics, knowledge of koalas, and engagement in koala conservation activities. Using a logistic regression model, we identified that residents who submit koala sightings are more likely to be male, have a greater knowledge of koalas, and engage in koala conservation activities. Respondents also provided insights about their experience of submitting koala sightings. Opportunities to improve the citizen science experience include training and education, timely feedback, improved app experiences, better communication, and improved coordination. The persistence of the challenges identified by respondents point to the need for program managers to be aware of organizational factors that are enhancing or negatively impacting the citizen science experience. A focus on controllable program factors will extend our understanding beyond the demographic characteristics of citizen scientists to successful approaches capable of recruiting and retaining a broader cross section of community to report sightings of endangered wildlife.