Will koalas starve to death?

Koalas, one of the most lovable animals on our planet, are extremely vulnerable to climate change, and as the world is warming, koalas are finding it more and more difficult to find food with adequate nutritional value which could soon lead to their deaths due to the starvation.

The higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are causing faster growth of the plants but the main problems is that these plants, in koala's case Eucalytpus leaves, have very low nutritional value. Since koala's food has less nutritional value koalas have to eat more to compensate, and according to IUCN koalas already eat up to 500g of leaves a day and their guts may not be able to hold much more.

Climate change is also very likely to cause more droughts and bushfires in Australia, which would force slow-moving koalas to leave their trees in search of water and safety, and on this road many of koalas will die as they are very vulnerable to wild and domestic predators, as well as to road traffic.

Koalas are still not listed as endangered in Australia, despite some serious decline in certain areas of Australia. But this well-known species, and one of the most famous animals in the world is likely to feel the heat of climate change in the worst possible way, and this is something we must prevent if we want to introduce our future generations with this adorable animals.

Koalas under serious threat of extinction

Koalas are definitely among the most lovable animals but if current conditions continue in about 30 years koalas could disappear from the face of the planet. There are different reasons why koalas are lately experiencing serious decline in population, and three most important reasons are climate change, habitat loss as the result of infrastructural development, and bushfires.

The Australian Koala foundation has in its latest report stated some really alarming news, namely that koala population in wild could have dropped by more than 50% in the last six years. They have also stated that previous estimates about the around 100,000 koalas in the wild were wrong, and that today there are only around 45,000 koalas still left in the wild.

Current numbers suggest that koalas are heading for extinction. There are only around 45,000 koalas still left in the wild.

This number of koalas still left in the wild was calculated by collected field data from 1,800 sites and 80,000 trees. The current numbers are definitely alarming, and if we want to stop further decline in koala population an immediate action is required.

Koalas simply cannot cope with loss of habitat caused by deforestation, and dryer conditions caused by climate change that have made their food more scarce and lower nutrition value.

Perhaps the most alarming factor in this story is that koalas haven't still been listed as the endangered by Australian government, and the current reports suggest that it will take at least another year before this happens. Who knows how much koalas will pay with their lives this negligence in the meantime?

Endangered animals - Koalas

Koalas are lovable, tree-dwelling animals that are like kangaroos national symbol of Australia. Koalas are small bear-like animals, averaging about 9kg (20lb) in weight, they have thick ash grey fur and found in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. But like many other animals too, koalas are also threatened by climate change as the new study carried out by Australian scientists clearly pointed out.

Koalas' main food are eucalyptus leaves and if current climate change continues, these leaves will become inedible which could make koalas life very difficult since there wouldn't be enough food for them to survive. Koalas also receive more than 90 % of its hydration from eucalyptus leaves, since it drinks only when ill or when there's not enough moisture in leaves and eucalyptus really plays key role in their survival.

Global warming and climate change are mainly the result of excessive carbon-dioxide emissions and carbon dioxide has negative impact on eucalyptus since it reduces nitrogen and various other nutrients in eucalyptus leaves. And the shortage of this nutritions means that there is significantly less proteins in these leaves forcing koalas (as well as some other animals) to eat more nutritionally-poor eucalyptus leaves to survive.

Entire food chain of which koalas' survival depends could soon be put in jeopardy since koalas will have to eat ever-increasing quantities of eucalyptus leaves which will lead to food shortage. And there is also battle against competition since koalas aren't only animals that depend on eucalyptus. There are also some other animals like greater gliders, a large gliding possum, many different insect species, all desperately dependent on eucalyptus leaves for their food.

Will there be enough eucalyptus for koalas?