Koala: symbol of fragility

To start this journey, I would like to introduce you to one of Australia’s most iconic animals.

Its scientific name is Phascolarctos cinereus, which comes from Greek and Latin and literally means “gray bear with a pouch.”

Of course, I am talking about the Koala!

Everyone can recognize it, but maybe not everyone knows about its characteristics and its real situation in the wild.

The koala is a marsupial mammal (we will talk more about this particular feature in future posts), which lives along the eastern and southern coasts of Australia. It is an arboreal species, spending almost its entire life on trees, in Eucalyptus forests.

Its paws have five fingers, two of them are opposable to the other three (like they had two thumbs), and strong claws to ensure a firm and secure grip on branches.

Its diet consists almost exclusively of Eucalyptus leaves and they can eat up to 500 grams per day.

It seems that the word “koala” comes from gula, which means “the one who does not drink” in an Aboriginal dialect, because it gets all the water it needs to survive from the leaves.

On the other hand, such a nutrient-poor diet forces these animals to minimize activities and energy consumption, so that they can sleep up to 18-20 hours a day.

Now that we have some more information about it, let’s see how our fluffy friend is doing in its natural habitat.

Currently, the koalas are facing several problems and are considered Vulnerable, according to data published in 2020 by the IUCN.

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is the global organization that collects data from scientific studies on the presence and abundance of animal and plant species on the planet and classifies them based on the risk of extinction.

The causes are many and interconnected.

Deforestation and the destruction of its natural habitat reduce the areas where they live and also the food sources, given its highly specialized diet.

Habitat loss causes stress in these animals, making them more vulnerable to diseases, especially Chlamydia. This is a bacterial infection that can lead to blindness, sterility, and it can even be fatal.

Climate change is a serious threat: rising temperatures cause long periods of drought, resulting in eucalyptus leaves providing less water than needed.

The number and intensity of extreme weather events, such as wildfires and floods due to heavy rains, are causing severe environmental damage.

More than 12 million hectares of forests burnt in the bushfires between 2019 and 2020.

Why is it so important to protect the koala?

As a symbol of Australia and known worldwide, the value of the koala increases exponentially because it becomes an ambassador for its environment.

By committing to the conservation of its habitat, we not only help the koala but also all the hardly known species that live in the same areas.

Many organizations, such as The Australian Koala Foundation, WWF Australia, and Wildlife Warriors, are carrying out numerous projects to guarantee these wonderful animals a better future.

Thank you for embarking on this journey with me!

Let me know in the comments below if you like my first post and keep following me in the next adventures!