Development destroys koala population
Fri 27 November 2009
Jodie Stephens, Bachelor of Journalism
The Sunshine Coast koala population is under serious threat as vital habitat is destroyed.
Australian Koala Foundation campaigner Sophia Walter said land clearing and irresponsible development were taking a large toll on the koala population and its habitat.
“The Sunshine Coast koala population has suffered huge declines,” Ms Walter said.
Sunshine Coast Environmental Council campaigner Sonia Marshall said that habitat loss due to urban development was the largest threat to the koala population, and that the Sunshine Coast has very little koala habitat left.
“On the Sunshine Coast alone there is less that 42 per cent of remnant vegetation left,” Ms Marshall said.
“About half of that remnant vegetation is core habitat which affords some protection to its flora and fauna from the ravages of urbanization.
“Only a very small portion of that core habitat contains koala food trees.”
Starvation due to loss of food trees and leaves is not the only consequence of land clearing and development.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed dog attacks, being hit by vehicles and an increased susceptibility to disease as additional threats to koalas which stem from habitat loss.
The EPA stated that more than 320 koalas are killed each year due to vehicles, while an average of 130 koalas are killed due to dog attacks.
The Australian Koala Foundation identified Chlamydia as a symptom of land clearing which can cause blindness, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, blindness and infertility.
Ms Walter said Chlamydia is having a huge impact on koala populations.
“Chlamydia is now affecting between 50 and 90 per cent of koalas,” Ms Walter said.
The Sunshine Coast is not the only region in which koalas are at risk, as koalas have long been under threat throughout southeast Queensland.
The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) states that the southeast Queensland koala is categorised as a vulnerable species under the Nature Conservation Regulation 1994.
The decline in the southeast Queensland koala population was confirmed in 2008 when DERM released the Koala Coast koala survey.
The survey estimated the population of koalas living on the Koala Coast, which is located 20 km southeast of Brisbane and encompasses portions of Redland City, Logan City and Brisbane City.
DERM stated that the Koala Coast koala population is one of Australia’s most significant natural koala populations.
The results of the survey revealed a startling population decline of 51 per cent in less than three years and a 64 per cent decline in the 10 years since the previous survey.
Over time, the rate of decline had increased.
In response to the increasing threat to koala populations, the Queensland Government introduced the Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2006 and Management Plan 2006 - 2016 (The Koala Plan).
The Koala Plan aims to abate habitat clearing, reduce the number of koalas killed by vehicles, reduce the risk of dog attacks and encourage further koala research.
Furthermore, $2.1 million was committed to the implementation of the government koala plan over four years.
Despite this, the koala population continues to decline.
Ms Walter said that both Federal and State Governments needed to do more to prevent extinction of the koala population.
“The major thing that the Federal Government needs to do right now is list the koala as a threatened species under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, triggering greater protection for koala habitat,” Ms Walter said.
“State and local governments need to protect every single tree to ensure there is a future for koalas in the wild.”
Ms Marshall also said it was important that the Federal Government list the koala as threatened, adding that the State Government must do more to afford greater protection to koalas.
“Research and evidence is saying that the current level of protection is not working,” Ms Marshall said.
“The State Government needs to take a long hard look at this species, throw some effort into research and mapping of habitat area and then change the relevant statutory plans and legislation so that they actually do protect koalas.”
Ms Marshall added that if something was not done soon, koalas on the Sunshine Coast and throughout Australia would be at risk of sliding into extinction.
The Sunshine Coast would suffer a huge loss if without its koala population.
“Koalas on the Sunshine Coast are running out of options…they have almost nowhere left to go,” Ms Marshall said.
“The natural environment, and in particular koalas, are important for ecological reasons, tourism and maintaining the lifestyle that so many of us love here on the Coast.”
Image(s) designed by n/a