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As of February 2022, koalas have been labeled an endangered species. Often seen as the symbol of Australia, koalas have been around for over 25 million years, only recently becoming at risk of extinction due to urbanization and climate change. Uncontrollable brush fires, agricultural deforestation, and drought have brought koala numbers to a point where the Australian government can no longer deny the situation, and changed their status from "vulnerable" to "endangered."
So, what does this mean? Will a simple label switch really change anything? Short answer: no. Even now that the koala is recognized as endangered, the Australian government is not required to take action for protection or restoration of the species or habitat.
Koalas rely on eucalyptus plants for survival, using them as their habitat as well as their food source. These nocturnal animals climb high in the trees and munch on up to a kilogram of leaves daily. That's a lot of salad! However, the leaves carry so little nutrition that koalas have to sleep around 18 hours a day just to have enough energy to carry them along. If a koala misses a meal, it could be detrimental to their health. Their heavy dependency on the plant makes them highly susceptible to habitat loss, especially through deforestation.
Simply put, koalas are recognized as endangered because environmental experts need to keep a close eye on koala population levels and future habitat projections. If we don't take extra steps to protect the species and their habitat, koalas could be extinct by as soon as 2050.
That's enough to make me want to hide from the world in a mother koala's pouch. But don't despair! Thanks in part to pressure from environmental groups, plans are being made to protect Australia's koalas. The Prime Minister announced that there will be $35 million invested in rebuilding eucalyptus forests and researching "koala health outcomes." This four year plan will be a huge step forward in maintaining stable koala habitats and populations for the future.
While the label of endangered doesn't prompt any specific response from the government, it does put koalas on the radar, which is an equally important step. A big part of species conservation is awareness! It's difficult to save something you don't know about. Education, donation, and spreading the word are the best things you can use to contribute to the effort. Let's keep our iconic marsupial friends happily munching on their eucalyptus!