Collaboration to help the koala | Zoo Aquarium Madrid

The koala and its threats

‘Our beautiful koalas cannot live without their eucalyptus trees’

Since the arrival of Europeans in Australia, human impact on koala habitat has not diminished. 80 percent of the koala's natural habitat has been destroyed and much of the remaining 20 percent is on privately owned land. But sadly, this is not the only threat the species faces. The AKF summarises them as follows:

Habitat loss

caused by the felling of eucalyptus forests and the clearing of land for housing, agriculture, roads, etc.

Car accidents

More than 4,000 koalas are killed each year by cars or attacks by domestic dogs.

Wildfires

Koalas are very sensitive to wildfires. Especially for colonies living near built-up areas.

Common diseases

by the chlamydial organism: conjunctivitis, pneumonia, urinary or reproductive tract infections, which can cause female infertility.

Forest degradation

Logging creates isolated patches of trees likely to dry out due to soil degradation, salinisation, erosion and defoliation.

Droughts and others

Koalas can be preyed upon by animals such as foxes and wild cats. In addition, droughts have reduced their populations.

Want to learn more about koala threats?

Lince ibérico. Imagen cortesía de Antonio Rodríguez

The work of the Australian Koala Foundation

The Australian Koala Foundation is an international scientific organisation focused on the long-term conservation of the koala in Australia. Some of its objectives are:

Generate and collate relevant information about the koala and its habitat.
To educate governments and society on the need to take a long-term view to conserve Australia's flora and fauna.
Know where all habitats capable of supporting viable koala populations are located. Enact legislation to protect these areas.
To raise funds to reach its objectives.

To achieve these, the AKF has launched a number of projects and initiatives. Some of these include:

Koala Protection Act

The AKF has proposed to create the Koala Protection Act. A law that seeks to protect the forests, which it's essential to the survival of koalas. The Act would prevent development in areas crucial to koalas. It would also include climate change considerations and promote respect for koalas and their environment. The AKF urges politicians to support this law to ensure the survival of the species as a national treasure.

Research

Among their many research efforts, they have developed the Koala Habitat Atlas. A key tool for identifying, mapping and classifying the habitat necessary for koala survival. It provides vital information for land use planning and supports conservation, research and education activities.

It has also created ‘Bob's Map’ to estimate and monitor the koala population, based on scientific data and 30 years of research. This project highlights the human impact on koala habitat and the consequences of tree loss on the environment. AKF also invites users to register sightings on its ‘Koala map’, helping to monitor populations.

(Click on the image to enlarge)

Koala Kiss Project

AKF has coined the term ‘kiss point’ to describe a point where koala-inhabited areas are connected, including those that remain separated by cleared land. These ‘kiss points’ are key areas to identify for koala habitat restoration. The idea is to find them and encourage landowners to plant trees that connect fragmented habitats, helping the species to survive.

(Click on the image to enlarge).

Conservation

AKF carries out very important conservation work. Concrete actions include the development of the ‘National Koala Tree Planting List'. It lists 81 species used by koalas or 10% of the total number of eucalyptus species. It seeks to increase their habitat with new plantations that ensure their feeding and protection, either by individual owners or communities.

AKF also manages 3 different areas, Quinlans, Little Oakey y Koala Beach, which are refuges for koalas. There are many initiatives in these areas: from cleaning and maintenance work, tree planting visits, in situ habitat research to creating homes for them in areas inhabited by humans. The goal is to achieve a balance between nature and urban development.

Want to know more about the Australian Koala Foundation and how to contribute?

Discover AKF projects

How you can contribute

AKF offers plenty of options to contribute to its work. Here are some of them, choose yours!

You can adopt a koala. Go to their website and check out the different koalas. You'll love them!
Another option is to make a donation to the AKF, which will go towards their many projects.
You can also help plant a tree, expanding the forest at their Quinlans Nature Reserve.

You can also come to Zoo Madrid to discover this species. You will be able to observe and learn about this species and with your visit, you will be contributing to raising awareness of the situation of this iconic animal!