Koalas' Habitat Loss

Koalas throughout Australia have been constantly suffering from the habitat loss. Over the years; a lot of regions across Australia that were previously full of koalas' habitat have vanished along with koalas. Even today; the habitat loss is one of the biggest threats for koalas and it is threatening the existence of koalas at the Australian continent. The damage resulting from the koalas' habitat loss is so huge that experts estimate that over the years, an area greater than England, Scotland and Wales in Australia has been lost.

The habitat loss is the biggest cause of the koalas' demise in Australia. Rapid urbanization, agricultural development and tourism etc. are the key reasons that are contributing towards the koalas' habitat loss.

As far as koalas are concerned, the habitat loss means a certain death sentence for them because koalas only flourish within Eucalyptus habitat with no alternatives at all. Over the years; the rapid urbanization, agricultural development, tourism, droughts and climate change have caused the koalas' habitat loss across various regions of Australia.

The koalas' habitat simply requires the existence of the Eucalyptus trees. Koalas are only dependent on the Eucalyptus leaves as part of their diet. A lack of Eucalyptus habitat means starvation and certain death for koalas. Sadly; these Eucalyptus habitats of koalas have been diminishing and so are the koalas themselves. Since the arrival of the European settlers in Australia, the Eucalyptus habitat loss has been in between 33 percent to 92 percent in different regions of Australia.

Over the years, the koalas' habitat loss (Eucalyptus trees) in different Australian regions has been as high as 92 percent while for Acacia it has been up to 80%.

Similarly; a habitat full of Acacia which is also essential for koalas has been lost to almost 80% in some of the regions in Australia. It has been confirmed that these losses have koala habitats have resulted in extinction of koalas across many regions of Australia.

Even though almost all the koala regions throughout Australia have suffered from the habitat loss but the Queensland and the New South Wales states are the ones that have suffered the worst. Over the years, millions of hectares of koala habitats have vanished, where once koalas used to thrive in hundreds of thousands. During the 19th century, the biggest habitat loss occurred in 1990s, when almost two million hectares of koala habitat was cleared in Queensland. Almost one million hectares of habitat was cleared from 1999 to 2000 only.

Queensland and New South regions in Australia have witnessed the biggest loss of koala habitat. Millions of hectares of Eucalyptus habitats have been lost within these regions.

Experts believe that this habitat loss was equivalent in clearing 10 suburban housing blocks per minute. Even worst; according to ABC Australia, more than 7.6 million hectares of wild habitat including the koala habitat has been destroyed from 2001 till 2017 in Queensland only. Similarly; in New South Wales almost half a million hectares of natural habitat (including the koala habitat) has been destroyed from 1998 to 2016. Researchers also believe that by 2050, koalas will be extinct from the New South Wales regions of Australia.

In addition to the habitat loss, another biggest threat for the Australian koalas is the habitat fragmentation. In Habitat Fragmentation, a large habitat of koala is divided into small fragments and then these fragments are being isolated from one another through housing, bridges, roads and canals etc. This also means that a koala generation from one fragment cannot reach another fragment which was previously very easily accessible.

Along with the habitat loss, the habitat fragmentation of koalas is equally as bigger threat as the habitat loss. The habitat fragmentation isolates one koala habitat from another which results in inner-breeding and many other life-threatening issues for koalas.

Koalas' habitat fragmentation increases the chances of inner breeding, diseases, lesser immunity and a lot of competition within the existing population of koalas. The koala researchers believe that the habitat fragmentation has increased the incidences of koalas roaming around the urban areas, road accidents, dog attacks and even human disturbances etc. Along with the habitat loss, the habitat fragmentation of koalas is equally as bigger threat as the habitat loss. The habitat fragmentation isolates one koala habitat from another which results in inner-breeding and many other life-threatening issues for koalas.

Despite all the efforts and contingency plans, the problem of koala habitat loss still exists even today at the Australian continent. Each month almost thousands of hectares of land that is essential for koala habitat is lost. Experts have projected that Eastern Australia (Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria) will further lose more than 3 million hectares of natural habitat to livestock industry by 2030.

The Koalas' Habitat loss is expected to be at its worst further in Eastern Australia by 2030. About 3 million hectares of koala and other animals' habitat will be lost and destroyed by that time.

This loss of 3 million hectares will impact koalas the most along with other marsupials of the Australian continent. These figures also show a very bleak future for the koalas' existence in Australia and possibly predict the extinction of koalas from Australia.

Finally; amongst all the animals of Australia, koalas are also the ones that are suffering the most due to the habitat loss. Other animals might live on another diet but koalas have extremely limited options of food because they only have to eat Eucalyptus leaves. Similarly; koalas are not that much smart enough that they can explore on their own any new habitat of the Eucalyptus trees.

As compared to the other animals of Australia, koalas suffer the worst because of the habitat loss.

Koalas are not very agile and during migration they can easily fall victims to many predators. Furthermore; koalas do not possess too much energy to make a long migration and it is very likely that majority of koalas usually die as the result of habitat loss.