How did the Giant Koala become extinct?

Answer 1

The koala is not a bear; nor is it extinct.

It is a marsupial and, as of 2014, it is not even officially endangered.

During the late 1800s, koalas became an export commodity for their fur, mostly for export to the USA. Due to koala numbers dwindling and public outrage, laws were enacted protecting the koala and imports were banned by the USA in the late 1920s. By this stage, the koala had been driven to extinction in South Australia.

New colonies have been introduced in South Australia and Western Australia, and within these protected environments, the koala is thriving. Man is their biggest threat, causing loss of food source and habitat loss. Increasing urbanisation results in more koalas being killed by cars, unsupervised dogs, bushfires and even directly by cruel and irresponsible people. In particular, koalas have a range of home trees, and their territory is often split by roads through new urban developments. As a result, when koalas try to wander from one of their home range trees to another, they are hit by cars. Domestic dogs pose another major threat to koalas in suburban fringes.

Answer 2

Koalas are not officially endangered.

Their status varies from "secure" or "common" in many areas to "vulnerable" in localised regions such as southeast Queensland.

Even international conservation groups cannot agree. Meanwhile, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the koala as "potentially vulnerable", while the US Endangered Species Act lists the koala as "threatened".

Answer 3

It is not known why the Giant koala, a species 2-3 times larger than the modern species, Phascolarctus cinereus, became extinct. What is known is that both species existed together. It is theorised that its extinction may have been due to its size. It perhaps filled a slightly different ecological niche from its smaller relative, and this niche could have been disrupted by the same climate change which affected other species on the mainland, such as the Tasmanian devil (which is now not believed to have been affected by the introduction of the dingo to the degree once thought).

Answer 4

Firstly the kola is not extinct, but vast areas of its home areas are destroyed by bush fires and by men, reducing their food the eucalyptus tree.