There are about 100,000 Koalas left in Australia…..I read this last night in a local news story about Koala protection in my part of the world where an estimated population of 30-50 koalas are rapidly declining.
The koala is a small tree-dwelling, herbivorous marsupial which averages about 9kg (20lb) in weight. Its fur is thick and usually ash grey with a tinge of brown in places. It gets its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no drink" because it receives over 90% of its hydration from the Eucalyptus leaves it eats, and only drinks when ill or at times when there is not enough moisture in the leaves, like times of drought etc.
Koalas live in societies, just like humans, so they need to be able to come into contact with other koalas. It is because of this that they need to have areas of suitable eucalypt forest large enough to support a healthy koala population and to allow for expansion by maturing young koalas. Koalas are highly territorial and in stable breeding groups, individual members of koala society maintain their own "home range" areas. A ‘home range’ consists of a number of ‘home range trees’ and ‘food trees’ which comprise the long-term territory of the individual koala. These trees provide the koala with food, shelter and places for social contact which will support it for the term of its natural life (assuming there is no habitat clearing).
And it is this assumption that brings me to write about the koala today…..last night when I read the news story I passed the paper to a work colleague of my Husband’s who tut tutted and drew in breath and then to my surprise made this comment,
“What’s all this fuss about koalas? They have enough space…all this wild life rubbish, it just gets in the way of development.”
I also drew in breath at this stage….passing this comment, “You obviously take our wildlife for granted but will your grandchildren? How will you feel when explaining to them why they can no longer enjoy their environment as we do, let alone see a wild koala? “
Ecosystems are delicate and humans need to be aware of treading gently upon the earth…its not just a species of animal we are talking about but the critical balance of our world…take something away, add something else, and you are messing with millions of years of evolution….change is inevitable but I certainly do not want to be a party to the change brought about by bullies in the playground who strive only to quash their own insecurity by means of control and dominance. Respect for others should include respect for nature, animals, plants, oceans all the things that unfortunately too many do take for granted. The plight of the Koala is an indication of the plight of our whole ecosystem, of our environment.
Research tells us that since European settlement, approximately 80% of Australia's eucalypt forests have been decimated. Of the remaining 20% almost none is protected and most occurs on privately-owned land.
Research has also shown that socially stable koala populations occur only when there are favourite tree species present. Even if a selection of tree species known to be used by koalas occurs within an area, the koala population will not use it unless one or two favourite species are available.
It is easy then, to conceptualize why humans pose such a threat to the Koala.
With the human comes agriculture, housing, mining, forestry, factories and roads.We bring increased disturbances to their natural community; injury or death from traffic, dogs and cats, pesticides which get into waterways and the results of these like increased competition for food and territory because of overcrowding, increased stress on the koala, the results of which finally are, susceptibility to disease and decreased populations.
My friend is chair of our local Valley Watch Threatened Species Committee and I take my hat off to her….we desperately need individuals in our world who have the time, energy and intelligence to give to the maintenance of our beautiful planet and all those sentient beings that inhabit it. It is not just mushy compassion for a cute creature…it is an understanding of the importance and value of a stable ecosystem and a respect for the intrinsic rights of a living being.
Most of us are busy…work, children, bills, it all takes so much of us to maintain….we are not all able to devote so much to the care of the Koala or any other environmental issue….but it takes no time to tread gently upon the earth…to be aware…to share this awareness with others by what we say and do….to recycle our rubbish, to turn off lights, to plant appropriately, (Simple measures like planting new and maintaining existing trees that koalas like to feed on), to keep dogs and cats locked up at night, to avail ourselves of opportunities for education about the Koala or our world.
We can gaze at our navels for only so long before looking up to find we are in a desert and all alone……
Thanks to the following for much of my educated information…
Friends of the Koala (N.S.W)
The Australian Koala Foundation
Animal World Encyclopedia-Paul Hamlyn
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