Loss of habitat
Single biggest threat.
Removal of habitat is the single biggest threat to the koala population, as well as all other native wildlife in Australia.
The vast majority of this loss of vegetation occurs as a result of urban development, agriculture, mining and the expansion of existing infrastructure.
There is a saying “death by a thousand cuts” where every single eucalypt tree removed may in itself seem insignificant but as this occurs on a daily basis in locations where koalas live, little by little these important trees are gone from a koala’s home range.
An individual adult male coastal koala occupies up to 100 hectares; an area he occupies for life. Koalas live in a social hierarchy with higher-ranking animals occupying the best locations and lower-ranking koalas occupying lower quality habitats.
Due to habitat loss, the koala is now under threat, making it a sentinel animal for forest-dwelling species in this country. Basically, if the koala is wiped out, whatever (and whoever) is responsible for its eventual extinction will also precipitate the demise of other fauna and flora. Australia holds the shameful title of having the greatest number of extinctions of mammals in the world.
