What kills the koala?

Answer 1

There are several factors contributing to koala deaths each year.

The chief threat to the koala is habitat loss. Koalas inhabit prime land which man has decided is better used for housing developments. Not only do the koalas lose their sources of shelter and food, they are subject to dog attacks and being hit by cars as suburbia extends further outwards. A prime example of this is southeast Queensland, where koala numbers have dropped to 60% less than what they were a decade ago, entirely due to increased development - and where they now face extinction by 2020.

Koalas are territorial, and they live in complex social communities where each member has a certain number of trees within its territory. When access to these trees is cut off by new roads, the koalas will still try to cross the road, and risk being hit. Relocation of koalas is rarely successful because their territorial and social habits are largely misunderstood.

Another significant factor is predation by introduced species such as dogs and foxes.

Koalas are also subject to the disease chlamydia, which affects the koalas' fertility, and eventually leads to their death. Currently, there is no cure for this disease.

Answer 2

The disease causing a major threat to the koala populations of Australia is the result of the organism chlamydia, which has four major effects:

• blindness
• pneumonia
• urinary tract infection
• reproductive tract infections, ultimately rendering animals infertile.

Scientists are still working on a cure, as this disease is decimating some of the populations on the mainland. At the best of times, the koala is a slow breeder, usually producing just one joey a year. Anything that affects their fertility is a problem.

Answer 3

Koalas numbers are dropping partially as a result of the organism chlamydia, which has four major effects:

• blindness
• pneumonia
• urinary tract infection
• reproductive tract infections, ultimately rendering animals infertile.

Scientists are still working on a cure, as this disease is decimating some of the populations on the mainland.

Answer 4

Although koalas are not actually listed as endangered, many of them die daily, and there are various reasons for these deaths.

Man is the koalas' 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, and dog attacks are responsible for a large number of koala deaths.

Also, koalas often drown in backyard pools. Although they do not drink water often, they certainly wander into backyards to drink from Swimming Pools. There is insufficient grip on the side of the pool to prevent them from falling in, and although they can swim well, they cannot grip the high, glassy, tiled sides to get out. For people in known koala habitats, it is recommended they keep a thick rope floating in the pool and attached to the pool fence so the koala has something to grip to get out.

Koalas are also subject to the disease chlamydia, which affects the koalas' fertility, and eventually leads to their death. Currently, there is no cure for this disease.

Answer 5

Dogs are the biggest danger to koalas. They indiscriminately attack and kill koalas.

Dingoes are also natural predators of koalas.