Koalas photos on TravelBlog could become a thing of the past! Koalas, are at risk. Can we as travellers do something to help preserve this photo opportunity?
Mainland Australia's wild koala population was between 43,000 and 80,000, well under previous estimates of more than 100,000, with the animals facing possible extinction in about 30 years, the Australian Koala Foundation said.
Australian koalas fast declining, researchers say
~error~ private photo 2030197
Don't cut down our eucalyptus trees, because then we would have no food. 😞
Reply to this Unfortunately, there is a disease, I think it is called Climidea, that is also killing large numbers of koalas. In fact it looks as if your photo of "evil koala" may have it as the fur around the butt looks very shabby and this is one of the symptoms. Koalas are NOT cute and cuddly unless they are hand reared and used to being touched. Your average koala is grumpy and has VERY long evil claws which can give you a vicious scratch that commonly turns septic. They only look cute because for most of the day they are drunk on the eucalyptus leaves that make it so dozy.
Still, we definitely don't want to lose them. They are a symbol of Australia that is recognised worldwide and it really makes your day when you spot one curled up high in a tree fork during a drive in the bush.
Some areas have established "koala corridors" which keep a thin line of eucalyptus trees bridging the gap between stands of the trees allowing the koalas to access different areas. Not enough is being done though. The problem is that they don't climb other trees and they have to keep moving around as the leaves in the various species become toxic to them at certain times of the year. Don't remember all the details but I'm sure people can Google for more information if they are interested.
We also have a big problem with our Tasmanian Devil. Large numbers are dying of a kind of face cancer which is sweeping through the population in Tasmania. They have now started removing some of the clean ones and taking them to zoos on the mainland so they can be bred in safety. They hope this will preserve the species should they fail to stop the disease in Tassie. We've already lost the Tasmanian tiger - we don't want to lose the Devil, too.
Reply to this Lol, hi Mum! Why am I not suprised we both had a look at this post. I had no idea nu,bers were so painfully low though. We can't lose them! (And can I just say I'm tired of people calling them Koala BEARS. it sets my teeth on edge!)
Reply to this Nothing says "forever" like
extinction !
In our own lifetimes a mass extinction event is taking place across the globe. This event touches all our lives and should give us real cause for concern about our possible future. A glance at the recent past gives a disturbing indication of what may be in store.
Reply to this Very true green times. It's rather frightening isn't it?
Reply to this It could also be a matter of nutrition.
While a lot of eucalyptus trees have been preserved from cutting down, they may very well be growing in poor soil conditions that lack nutrients. These get passed on to the koalas that eat them, contributing to the declining health and the slowly-dying population of the koalas.
Take what I said with a grain of salt, I'm only reading a veterinarian's manga (japanese comics) and in one issue, they were blaming the zoo's lack of knowledge in regards to the soil condition they planted the eucalyptus tree in. The koalas grew weak, and only when they fertilized the soil did the koala regain its stamina back.
Again, I don't know if this is true. I'm just sharing. xD
Reply to this Yes Mel, Stacey is my daughter. Barramundi, it is possible that the soil condition may affect the animals' food, but a lot of the soils in Australia are poor all the time. I have certainly not heard of that as a reason for the koala population decline. Greentimes, what you say is true. Many people only think of large (and usually cute) animals when they think of extinction but it is just as important, and worrying, that it is happening to less adorable creatures like frogs and toads, insects and predatory animals. They all fit together in a naturally well balanced system. You lose part of the system and it greatly affects all other parts.
Reply to this 
