Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Koalas
Mains level: NA
Once found in abundance, Australia’s much-loved koalas have now been officially classified as ‘endangered’ after widespread bushfires, drought and land clearing destroyed much of their eucalyptus-rich habitat.
Koalas
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- According to fossil records, Koala species have inhabited parts of Australia for at least 25 million years, a WWF report states.
- But today, only one species remains — the Phascolarctos cinereus.
- They are found in the wild in the southeast and eastern sides of Australia — in coastal Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
Threats to Koalas
- Since Europeans first settled in the region, the Koala population has faced widespread habitat loss, particularly due to agriculture and the construction of urban settlements.
- They survive on a strict diet of up to a kilogram of eucalyptus leaves every day.
- Due to the low nutritional value of these leaves, koalas tend to sleep for extended periods, often up to 18 hours a day, to conserve energy.
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