
Koalas have been declared ‘functionally extinct’ and therefore an unsustainable species after numbers in the wild have plummeted to just 80,000, activists have warned.
The Australian Koala Foundation said that numbers of koalas have fallen so dramatically that they will not be able to sustain the next generation or play a significant role in the ecosystem.
The critically low numbers means there’s a risk of inbreeding and genetic diseases.
The AKF monitors 128 districts which should be koala environments, and have been in the past, but 41 of the areas have no koalas left at all.
Deforestation
The main issue for koalas is deforestation due to humans, and the AKF has called on the Australian government to act on the declining numbers or witness the species’ inevitable demise.
AKF chairman Deborah Tabart said: “I’m calling on the new Prime Minister after the May election to enact the Koala Protection Act, which has been written and ready to go since 2016. The plight of the koala now falls on his shoulders.”
Koalas also face threats from overheating due to climate change. The animals are notoriously hard to track so estimates of population are not thought to be accurate – some campaigners believe there are less than 43,000 remaining.
In Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia researchers say numbers have declined by 24% in just six generations.
‘Respect’
“It is time for Australian forests to be protected,” Tabart continued.
“Both parties say they want to protect the environment. It would be a great way to start by protecting Koala forests which cover 20 per cent of our continent.
“I know the Australian public are concerned for the safety of Koalas and are tired of seeing dead Koalas on our roads. It is time for the Government to respect the Koala and protect its habitat.”
Should the Australian government act on declining koala numbers? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
The Lord of the Rings franchise under fire after horse dies on set for the second time
- tb_admn
- 27th March 2023
PETA renews calls for Hollywood to replace animals with CGI Amazon’s television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has come under fire after a horse died during rehearsals for a season 2 scene in the UK. The horse was one of about 30 on set that day and died of cardiac …
Puma ditches kangaroo leather for ‘better’ vegan fabric
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 3rd March 2023
Puma’s King soccer boots are made with vegan K-Better, a new animal-free upper material. Puma SE is officially phasing kangaroo leather out of its soccer boots this year. Instead, it will begin using a vegan fabric following rising consumer opposition to animal-made products. The German sporting goods company has redesigned its legendary KING football boot …
Continue reading “Puma ditches kangaroo leather for ‘better’ vegan fabric”
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QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
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QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …