Koalas

In News

• Recently, the Australian Government announced a list of 110 ‘priority species’ that it will try to save from extinction over the next 10 years which includes koalas. 

About Koala

• Scientific Name:
  • Phascolarctos cinereus 
    • The koala is the only member of the family Phascolarctidae. 
• Characteristics:
  • It is a tree-climbing animal.
  • It is a marsupial animal which means a mammal with a pouch for the development of offspring.
  • Koalas usually don’t drink much water as they get most of their moisture from these leaves. 
•  Habitat, behavior, and diet:
  • Koalas live in the eucalyptus forests of southeastern and eastern Australia. 
    • They rely on the eucalyptus tree for both habitat and food.
• Threats to survival:
  • Koala numbers plummeted in the late 19th and early 20th century from hunting for their fur. 
  • Now they face serious threats from habitat loss. 
  • Land clearing, logging, and bushfires, especially the devastating 2019-2020 seasons have destroyed much of the forest they live in.
• IUCN Status:
  • In February 2022 the status of the koala was changed from vulnerable to endangered.
• Conservation:
  • Caring and rehabilitating the injured.
  • Building koala sanctuaries and reserves.
  • Saving eucalyptus trees and planting new ones.
  • Researching about koala genetics, mating choices and health.
  • The Koala Conservation Plan by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia. 

Source: DTE