Koala

The small and cute Koala is a favourite species of Australians and tourists alike. This gorgeous grey and white marsupial is found in the tree tops of Eucalyptus Trees usually feasting on it's favourite food Eucalyptus or Gum leaves. In fact Koalas spend so much time in the tree tops, Indigenous Australians gave the Koala it's name as it means 'no drink' as Koalas receive 90% of their fluid intake from Eucalyptus leaves.

Often mistaken for a small bear, the Koala is in fact not a bear but a marsupial. They carry their young in their pouch. Koalas are now found in the woodland area's of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Found in groups, Koalas are very territorial and will stay on their own territory and associate only with members of their own group.

Koalas are notoriously fussy eaters, only eating certain types of Eucalyptus leaves. It has been noted that there are over 600 types of Eucalyptus Trees in Australia although Koalas will only eat the leaves off 40 to 50 varieties of trees.

Being fussy eaters does is not helping their already threatened species. Koalas are currently struggling due to their loss of habitat, with more land clearing in the way for human developments this leaves little food variety and tree's for them to live in.

Unfortunately also because of the amount of humans moving out of city areas and further into rural areas that the koalas call home they are also suffering from the increase in cars and traffic but also from the risk of domestic animals. Dogs are becoming a huge threat to Koalas.

Recently a Koala named Sam became famous world wide after being rescued from the Victorian Bush Fires in Febuary 2009. This Koala helped the country realise how much of a threat humans and natural disasters are impacting on our Australian Wildlife. The threat of Bush Fires is a huge risk for the remaining Koala species, devastatingly with more of these fires being caused by arsonists it is again humans making the biggest impact on these animals lives.

Not only is it the man made and natural disasters making an impact on the lives of koalas. There are four common diseases that are causing alot of harm with wildlife rehabilitation and protection. Chlamydia is the main killer in Koalas, diseases caused by the Chlamydia organism include conjunctivitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and reproductive tract infections. Causing blindness and impacting on the female reproductive system.

As well as the devastating news of Chlamydia Koalas are also suffering from Leukemia and Skin Cancer. With diseases such as these re populating the Koala community is becoming more and more difficult.

Wildlife Sanctuaries are helping to rehabilitate Koalas in captivity, increasing the population and then returning them into the wild. While this is helping there is still the risk of them becoming infected with Chlamydia or getting Cancer. If these diseases spread it could have beyond devastating effects on the Koala's numbers in the wild.