Koala: Why Is It Endangered?

Koalas are a species that is decreasing in numbers. Koalas are not natives of Australia; they migrated there from somewhere in Asia over 30,000 years ago and now only exist on the Australian continent.

• Status: Vulnerable
• Known as: Koala, Koala Bear, Monkey Bear, Tree-bear (incorrect as koalas are not bears).
• Estimated numbers left in the wild: 80,000 to several hundred thousand (controversial).

Koalas prefer to live in eucalyptus forests, as these trees contain the nutrients Koalas need for survival.

Koala populations decrease as those forests become more scarce. Koalas can’t survive without those nutrients, so as those forests become more scarce and their populations decrease as well.

As climate change continues to affect their environment, it is estimated that koalas will be extinct within the next 50 years if this trend continues.

Description

Roly-poly and endearing, koalas are small, stocky, tree-dwelling marsupials that weigh anywhere from 5 kilograms to 14 kilograms, depending on sex and region.

Koala is a species that have fingerprints, which are almost impossible to tell apart from human prints. Koala eyesight is not very good, but Koalas have extremely sensitive hearing and use the echoes from their cries to navigate through forests.

Etymology

The name “koala” comes from the Aboriginal Australian word Dharug, which means “lack of water.” Because eucalyptus leaves have a high water content, koalas don’t need to drink as often.

It was thought that the bears would be able to survive without drinking. It’s one of several indigenous phrases that debuted at the international English level.

The Latin name Cinereus is derived from the Greek words phaskolos “package” and arktos.

The scientific name cinereus comes from the Latin meaning ash-colored.

Classification and evolution

The koala is a small to medium-sized marsupial that can be found in a variety of wooded areas in the southeast and east coast.

Koala bears is the name given to these animals by indigenous inhabitants of New Guinea. They are a unique species when compared to other kingfishers.

Despite the fact that populations are stable and widespread, the koalas are now vulnerable to habitat clearance as large swaths of land are destroyed every year to accommodate development.

Anatomy and Appearance

Koalas are distinguishable by their large head and thick fur and comfortable nature.

Koalas have small ears, small legs, and a long muscular prehensile tail. Koalas also have pads on their toes that act like suction cups, which allow Koalas to get a good grip on the tree branches where they live.

A thick layer of grey or greyish-brown fur covers a koala, giving them a look similar to a plush toy.

A large black nose with a keen sense of smell decorates the animal’s face, and its short, muscular limbs end in relatively large paws with two or three opposed digits.

Koalas’ front arms are versatile enough to hold onto trees while eating leaves or climbing up them. They typically sleep for 18 hours per day and then only leave the tree to find food. Koalas eat about one-third of their body weight each day in order to maintain their caloric intake.

Koala fur is not like human hair; Koala fur sheds constantly to make it easier for Koalas to move in trees. Koalas have a strong sense of smell that is used along with their sight when sensing predators or food.

Females are smaller than males and koalas from the northern part of the species’ range are notably smaller than those from the south.

Location

Koalas are found where eucalypt forests where there’s an abundance of eucalypt trees are widespread.

These animals used to be common in the Sydney and Wollongong regions of New South Wales, but their numbers have declined significantly.

The main reasons for this decline are habitat loss and fragmentation, car accidents, dog attacks, and climate change.

New South Wales (NSW)

The New South Wales Koala population is considered vulnerable under Federal legislation, the EPBC Act. It happened in May 2012.

In 1992, the New South Wales government deemed the Koala vulnerable but it remained vulnerable under the endangered species protection law 1995, and the status was reinstated.

In response to the continuing decline in Koalana habitat across New South Wales, the New South Wales government has introduced state environmental planning policy no. 44 – Koala habitat protection (SEPP 44). The first Statewide species planning policy was implemented across the country.

South Australia

Koalas in South Australia are doing well, thanks to the reintroduction effort that has taken place in the area and by the federal government. There are now more koalas in this part of the country than ever before, and they are thriving in their new environment.

There are a few factors that have contributed to the success of the reintroduction effort. Firstly, this region is a much warmer region than the areas where koalas were previously found. Prolonged drought conditions severely impacted this amazing creature, particularly during Australian bushfires which result in smoke inhalation and even destruction of their habitat.

The black summer bushfires were a very dramatic event and with extremely high temperatures from climate change, the volatility and risk of the conservation status remain fluid.

Fires and seasonal bushfires need to be monitored and addressed with urgent action to ensure this animal does not face a conservation status change for the worst.

This means that the koalas can adapt more easily to the new climate, and they don’t have to expend as much energy staying warm.

Secondly, this region is a more fertile region than the areas where koalas were previously found. This means that the koalas don’t have to travel as far to find food, and they can focus their efforts more on mating.

Koalas require a great deal of care, both in captivity and in their native habitat. Because of this fact, there are some issues that need to be addressed for this animal’s continued survival.

Habitat

The koala spends most of its time in the eucalyptus forest and trees, feeding on the leaves. Only two other species of mammals are known to be able to eat eucalyptus leaves.

These marsupials spend a large portion of their lives aloft among the branches, holding on with their well-adapted paws and dozing up to 18 hours daily.

Due to the low nutritive value of the leaves, a koala eats a kilogram of them daily, obtaining most of its water needs from the foliage, too. The oils absorbed from their food source give these small mammals a smell like cough drops or medicinal throat lozenges.

See Related: Three-Letter Animals You Need to Know

Diet and Nutrition

They are marsupials and their diet consists mainly of leaves from the eucalyptus tree.

These marsupials have a low metabolic rate and slow digestion which allows them to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the leaves. Koalas consume about 2-3% of their body weight in leaves each day.

Koala fur is also covered with a layer of oil that helps protect them from dehydration. Unfortunately, for this reason, it’s been a frequent target in the fur trade.

They drink water through their mouth or nose if there is sufficient moisture in the leaves they are eating.

They get very little protein from their diet but they don’t need protein because eucalyptus trees have plenty of protein, Koala requires minerals for growth because these species do not produce any hormones to promote growth as some other animals do.

They receive their minerals from the soil as they dig through it to find eucalyptus roots and leaves.

They also eat sand that comes with the soil as they dig for roots and leaves because sand can help them digest food faster than if they did not eat sand.

Mating Habits

Koalas are monogamous animals. They mate for life and maintain a long-term relationship with their partner.

After mating, they will go off to eat the leaves of the eucalyptus tree. Males are dominant animals in these relationships. Males mate with more than one female while females will only mate with one male during mating season.

Females tend to be larger in size while males are only half the size of females on average. Males can mate with more than one female while some females don’t mate at all during their lifetime.

During mating season, males and females will fight for dominance over territory and mates by vocalizing and using their paws, sharp claws, teeth, and nose.

They are known to be aggressive animals when they are mating or protecting themselves from predators and tend to be very territorial animals.

Koalas are not the only animal species to do this; they are very much like other animals in warrior roles. They will display signs of aggression when they feel threatened like standing up on their hind legs or by making a hissing sound or growling at the opposing Koala.

They are very much like cats in that they love to play fight with each other, but Koalas do not have sex for pleasure. The mating season is only about a month-long every year.

They are marsupials, meaning that they carry their babies in a special mother’s pouch. The baby, or joey, rides in this pouch or on its mother’s back for close to a year. They live for around twenty years in the wild.

Females will rear their babies alone while males live with others in groups and they all help to raise each other young koalas. Koalas mate typically between January and March.

The koala’s brain is uniquely shrunken within its braincase, probably due to its low nutrient diet.

These animals are usually silent, though the male utters a bellowing cry during the breeding season, which is audible for more than a kilometer.

They are most active right after the sunset and fall asleep again in the latter part of the night.

See Related: Facts About Bears to Know

Behavior and lifestyle

The koala is a solitary and nocturnal animal.

The northern white-backed vole is a nocturnal species that lives on the tip of a eucalypt tree.

They are creatures that prefer to stay in one place and thus require a specific home region, which can vary in size depending on the quantity of food available.

Mature red-tailed hawks are highly territorial, and any new males that enter their area will be swiftly killed. They will scratch or bite aggressively in order to defend their territory from the rival male koala.

To conserve energy, they may sleep for over 18 hours each day or simply sit in the trees doing nothing.

Since individuals live in trees, everything from sleeping to feeding to even procreation occurs there. They fall from the sky very frequently, yet they may only travel to another tree after they fall from the sky.

Relationship with Humans

Koalas have always had a close relationship with humans, which is part of the reason why they’re now endangered.

They were hunted for their fur and killed because they were seen as pests, but the biggest contributor to their endangerment is habitat loss.

Koala populations are decreasing because they don’t have anywhere left to live due to land clearing and diminishing koala food trees. That’s why it’s so important that we do what we can to protect them.

The koala was formerly abundant in South Eastern Australia’s forests, but heavy hunting for their soft fur in the early 20th century drove significant population losses and local extinctions.

In view of a large number of sightings, the hunt on Koalas and their management has been halted. The numbers have grown once again.

Despite an expanding human population, they are strongly affected by human activities in most of their original range, particularly habitat destruction as massive areas of land are cleared yearly for construction and agriculture.

Despite its name, this species was not discovered in certain locations – it was on many seals.

Facts

Here are the fascinating facts about the iconic marsupial:

• The Koala is found in Australia and New Guinea.
• They are not native to Australia; they migrated there over 30,000 years ago from somewhere in Asia.
• Koala is a species that prefers to live in eucalyptus forests, as these trees contain the nutrients Koalas need for survival.
• Koala cannot survive without these nutrients, so as those forests become more scarce Koala populations decrease as well.
• Koala is an animal that is mostly nocturnal animals that like to eat eucalypt leaves, but they can also eat other leaves if necessary.
• The koala will spend their days sleeping and come out at night to look for food.
• They have a very limited range when it comes to living space because they are adapted to live in eucalyptus forests only.
• Because koalas carry their young in a pouch for some time after they are born, they are considered marsupials.
• They were omnivores that eat sweets, but they also eat eucalypt leaves, flowers, and small insects when necessary.
• They have an excellent sense of smell and they have a good sense of sight. Koalas have a thick coat that helps them survive in the cold weather.
• Koala is species that is very social animal and they live in family groups called mobs.

Conservation Status

The Koala is classified as an endangered species, with the population declining by more than 30% over the last twenty years.

Koalas are not native to Australia, they migrated there from Asia more than 30,000 years ago and only exist on the Australian continent.

Koalas prefer to live in Eucalyptus forests, as these trees contain the nutrients Koalas need for survival.

Koalas can’t survive without those nutrients so as those forests become more scarce the species populations decrease as well.

Threats

Habitat destruction is the chief threat today since each animal needs around 100 trees of eucalyptus to serve as its territory as well as climate change.

These marsupials can cross open ground to reach new trees but are vulnerable while doing so, possibly being struck by cars or attacked by domestic dogs or dingoes.

Originally, koalas were hunted vigorously for fur and this resulted in a serious drop in their population by the early 20th century.

Since hunting has become infrequent and reintroduction efforts were quite successful, the loss of woodland cover has become the main menace to the marsupial.

Populations

The population of the Koalas has been decreasing due to a decrease in Koala-friendly Eucalyptus forests.

Koalas are also endangered because their habitats are shrinking, they are often killed by feral predators, and they face starvation when eucalyptus trees die off.

The populations are rapidly decreasing, with an estimate of between 6,000 and 8,000 Koalas left in the wild.

They migrated there from somewhere in Asia over 30,000 years ago and now only exist on the Australian continent. This species populations have been decreasing due to a decrease in Koala-friendly Eucalyptus forests.

Koalas also face starvation when eucalyptus trees die off.

Koala habitats are shrinking too; they’re often killed by natural predators like dogs or smaller animals which offers no protection against them coming into contact with humans who hunt them for their fur or simply out of cruelty towards nature.

Conservation efforts

The koala is such an iconic creature that is vulnerable like the Galapagos Giant Tortoise that it has attracted numerous conservation efforts, both governmental and private. Hunting koalas and keeping them as exotic pets are both illegal.

The Australian Koala Foundation is spearheading efforts to preserve and restore koala habitat, help injured koalas including working with local urban planning councils to ensure that development leaves the critical koala environment intact.

Organizations

Australian Koala Foundation

The Australian Koala Foundation works to protect Koalas and their habitats through mapping, research, planting trees, partnerships to protect vital areas, and educating the public.

This international fund has a goal to ensure the long-term viability of these marsupials and mitigate habitat loss as much as possible. One way they do this is by raising awareness about Koalas and the threats they face.

They also work with landowners and Australian government entities to create conservation areas for koala habitat in the Australian capital territory and throughout the country. AKF also funds research into the diseases that are affecting Koalas as well as into how to best protect their habitat.

The Koala and Wildlife Preservation Society

The Koala and Wildlife Preservation Society is a non-profit organization and fund for animal welfare dedicated to preserving kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, and their habitats.

Koala Brothers Incorporated is an Australian not-for-profit organization and international fund for animal conservation that operates both zoos (in Sydney, Rocky Jumps) as well as free conservation programs for koalas in the wild.

They have seen many successes over the years with regards to saving wildlife that is threatened, endangered, or critically endangered.

Final Thoughts: Are Koalas Endangered?

Koalas are considered vulnerable to extinction, with a decreasing population trend. The main reason for their endangerment is deforestation, land clearing, and urban development, which destroys the koalas’ habitat and limits their food supply. Other threats include climate change, car accidents, and dog attacks.

Koalas are one of the most iconic animals in Australia, but they are also endangered.

The species populations have been declining by more than 30% over the last twenty years and every day there is a new threat to their habitat. They inhabit Eucalyptus forests which contain nutrients that Koalas need for survival so as those become scarce populations decrease too.

Hunting koalas was once quite common until it became illegal, while today’s biggest threats come from deforestation and urban development encroaching on these habitats.

There is still time to save this species though. The Australian Koala Foundation has some great information about what you can do to help preserve their habitat and animal welfare or even volunteer your time with them if you’re interested in volunteering abroad.

These marsupials are so cute and it’s sad to think that in 50 years they might be extinct.

They are an iconic symbol of Australia, which is why it would be great if you could write about them, because perhaps if the population knows how threatened Koalas are they will step up to help protect them.

FAQ

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