http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/16/world/asia/koala-australia-endangered/index.html
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| This graphic shows a dead koala lying on the road. Many koalas are hit or killed by cars in Australia. As a result, the number of them is decreasing. |
Summary
As few as 43,000 koalas are left in Australia. Habitat loss, disease, dog attacks, car accidents, and hunters are killing them. These animals are defenseless to bush fires and droughts. Today, more than 1,700 species could be facing the threat of extinction, but there is no way of knowing for sure. However, scientists use clues to predict and see if the population of a specific animal will decrease.
As a result, some koala conservationists believe the national icon of the country should be added to the endangered species list. However, environment minister, Tony Burke says he needs more time to evaluate the new information. Hopefully, his decision will be made, before April 30, 2012.
Chief executive of the Australian Koala Foundation, Deborah Tabart said the minister wanted to avoid making a decision because it was becoming a problem, before the upcoming Queensland state election in March.This is unfortunate because politics should not be interfering when listing a species as endangered. Every selection should be based on scientific evidence.
There are many places where the population of the koala is high. In some areas of Victoria and South Africa koalas are "blooming." In the states of Queensland and New South Wales, there was a large decline of koalas. The most koalas in the state of Queensland are found in a growing city where housing is not that affordable. If the city continues to progress, then I believe the marsupials will eventually decrease in population. Koalas are rare in South Australia.
A koala being known as a endangered species is an issue that has been considered three times in the last fifteen years by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC.) However, they declared that there was not enough information to list them as endangered by federal law. Fortunately, the United States considers koalas to be threatened species so they can get the proper care they need. Internationally, the koala is listed as "least concerned." Koalas are currently not granted any extra protection in Australia, but campaigners are hoping these innocent animals will stay alive.
Opinion\Reflection
What is Australia without koalas? As a future tourist, I protest! Stop waiting and give them more protection. Their population has already been severely impacted. The sooner they are safer the more successful the continuation of their species will be. Humans destroy what they can't control and claim land that wasn't given to them to start with. They destroy natural resources for greed and ruin environments. As a result, we should at least help out the poor creatures around us, especially threatened or endangered ones. We need to save the planet, but no one can mess with Mother Nature. Is Tony Burke waiting until the adorable koalas are extinct, before he makes a decision? Hopefully, he will make the right one.
Questions
How can we help protect endangered species? Explain.
If koalas became extinct, what impact will it have on the earth or in the surrounding areas in which they live?
Why is the extinction of species not always a bad thing?
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DeleteWow…this is very sad. When I opened up this blog I immediately noticed the picture and it is really sad. I thought it was a stuffed animal at first! It is sad to think that in Australia, cars hit koalas while in the Pennsylvania, cars usually hit deer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Sameena; how long is it going to take for Tony Burke to realize that the population of koalas is dying down and soon there will be no more if no one helps? I think it is great that there are other places in Australia in which koalas are more abundant so they are not completely extinct. I think someone definitely needs to step up and place koalas on the endangered species list. That way, these cute and fuzzy animals can get help and protection right away.
I’m not sure there is really anything I can personally do to help except hope they receive help soon. If I lived in Australia it would be a lot easier to maybe start an online protest or something along those lines, but since I am so far away from the endangered koalas it is hard for me to do anything. (I just want to say that I think it is good the United States is protecting for koalas.)
I found this article if you are interested;
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/danger-saving-australias-koalas/story?id=11825320
I basically says that koalas are becoming very close to being extinct. Some reasons are because eucalyptus is the only types of leave they eat. These trees that supply leaves for the koalas are being cut down for developmental use. I also read (very interesting) that the eucalyptus leaves are not very high in nutrients, so a koala eats, rests, then has to find more food again. It is a very strenuous activity for the koalas to be doing, and as more trees are being cut down, the harder it is for the koalas to find food. A quick little fun fact I read was that even though koalas look like teddy bears, they are actually in the kangaroo family!
It is very unfortunate that koalas are not being viewed as endangered, when they are actually endangered. I would never think that people could overlook these creatures that symbolize the country of australia. I hope that Tony Burke makes the decision to protect koalas before it is too late. If he does not make the right decision, he will be to blame when they are gone.
ReplyDeleteIf there's something I can do about it, I haven't found anything yet. It would seem that it is up to the people of australia to do their part in protecting these animals. Thankfully the United States is helping a bit.
In response to your first question: We can help protect endangered species by realizing what environmental impact we have on them, how we are endangering them, and how we can protect them. Once we are able to do this, we can put into motion a plan to protect the species and allow it to rebuild its population.