![]() Most recently an 80 percent decline was documented in Queensland's Mulga Lands following the 10-year drought," McAlpine told IPS.Īccording to the AKF, protecting the existing koala eucalypt forests is also an imperative step towards reducing greenhouse emissions in Australia. "Climate-induced changes will not only reduce their food resource, but also the nutritional quality and moisture content of leaves. An individual Koala may have to consume 500 grammes of leaves or more each day in order to grow and survive. The name koala is derived from the aboriginal word meaning "no drink", as the creatures feed on and derive much of their moisture needs from the nutrient-poor eucalyptus leaves. Across western Queensland and New South Wales, temperatures remained in the mid to high 40-degree centigrade (range) for consecutive days, pushing them beyond their climatic threshold." ![]() ![]() "Our climate envelope modelling found that koalas occur at a maximum temperature of 37.7 degrees centigrade. The koalas are highly susceptible to heat stress and dehydration," University of Queensland koala expert Dr. "In the past decade, we have experienced the hottest temperatures on record followed by floods and cyclones. It is estimated that around 4,000 koalas are killed each year by dogs and cars alone.Ĭlimate scientists warn that forecasts of longer dry periods, rises in temperature, more intense bushfires and severe droughts pose a significant risk to the koala, which is endemic only to Australia. Shrinking habitat and climate change is compounding the risk of disease, while attacks from feral and domestic dogs and road accidents add to a long list of risks that this arboreal mammal faces as it moves across the landscape in search of food.
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