Koalas and Climate Change : Hungry for CO2 Cuts

Koalas are iconic animals native to Australia. They are true habitat and food specialists, only ever inhabiting forests and woodlands where Eucalyptus trees are present. Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels will reduce the nutritional quality of Eucalyptus leaves, causing nutrient shortages in the species that forage on them. As a result, Koalas may no longer be able to meet their nutritional demands, resulting in malnutrition and starvation. Increasing frequency and intensity of droughts can force Koalas to descend from trees in search of water or new habitats. This makes them particularly vulnerable to wild and domestic predators, as well as to road traffic, often resulting in death. Koala populations are reported to be declining probably due to malnutrition, the sexually-transmitted disease chlamydia, and habitat destruction. Koalas have very limited capability to adapt to rapid, human-induced climate change, making them very vulnerable to its negative impacts.