Extinction threatens koalas

Koala now increasingly threatened. Animal population is believed to no more than 100,000 individuals. In the region of the Gold Coast, Queenslands, Australia, the koala population is believed to have declined by 80 percent within the past 10-15 years. If previously scientists could find 30-50 tail koalas in their habitat, so now they can only see 3-4 tails.

There are several factors that threaten koala populations. Conversion of land into residential, industrial, and agriculture are some of the causes. Koala also threatened by the attack that chlamydia can cause infertility as well as a similar retrovirus HIV which can lead to various infections and cancer.


Now, with climate change, the greater the threat to koala conservation. Koala less able to withstand high temperatures and dry so easy to experience stress and dehydration. High temperatures also cause moisture in eucalyptus leaves is reduced so that the koala more difficulty getting water.

Christine Hosking, conservation experts from the University of Queensland, said, "Once the temperature exceeds 37 degrees celsius, then there is no possibility of a better life for the koalas. As we find these extreme temperatures and drought, the koalas will not be able to customize it."

"This species should be easy to find, but now the threat of extinction is in sight," Hosking added as quoted by The Independent. Without serious conservation efforts, it is quite possible koalas will be completely extinct. If conservation efforts can not be done immediately and wait until the population is below 10,000 tails, then the conservation measures could already be too late.

Queensland University ecologist Clive McAlpine said, include koalas as endangered species could be a good first step. The move will facilitate the protection of koala habitat and seek funding to conduct research on chlamydia.