Koalas are an Australian national treasure - but they’re in trouble. Koala numbers have dropped by over 50% since colonisation, and they’re falling fast due to the twin threats of habitat destruction and climate change.
It is estimated that as many as one-third of NSW’s Koalas - about 10,000 animals, died in the climate fuelled 2019-2020 fires and preceding drought, whilst Queensland’s koala population has shrunk by about 50% in the past decade. In early 2021, after many studies scientists announced that the much loved Australian Koala was facing increasing threat from habitat destruction which could see it become endangered. In Feb 2022, it was officially declared that Koalas are an endangered species in parts of Eastern Australia.
The 2020 Legislative Council inquiry into NSW koala populations and habitat concluded that without action, koalas in New South Wales could be extinct by 2050. That's why conserving all of their habitat, including what's scheduled for clearing for new coal mines and expansions, is so important. Climate change also presents one of the biggest threats to the species. One of the best ways to tackle climate change is to keep coal in the ground.
The expansion of coal mining operations poses a significant double threat to koalas, directly through the destruction of their habitats and indirectly by exacerbating climate change.
- Firstly, the clearing of land for coal mines results in the loss of essential eucalyptus forests, which are the primary habitat for koalas. These forests provide both food and shelter, and their destruction leaves koalas without the necessary resources to survive. The process of land clearing not only displaces koalas, leading to increased stress and mortality rates, but also fragments their habitat, making it more difficult for them to find food and mates, thereby reducing their reproductive success and long-term viability. 🌲🌳🌱
- In addition to the immediate impact of habitat destruction, the burning of coal contributes to climate change, which further threatens koala populations. The greenhouse gases released from coal combustion lead to higher global temperatures and more extreme weather patterns. Koalas are particularly vulnerable to heat stress and dehydration, conditions that are becoming more frequent and severe with climate change. Prolonged periods of extreme heat can lead to dehydration and heatstroke in koalas, as they rely heavily on the moisture content in eucalyptus leaves for hydration. 🔥🌧️🌞
This double threat of habitat destruction and climate change creates a precarious situation for koalas. Even those that survive the initial land clearing face ongoing challenges from a changing climate. Increased frequency and intensity of droughts, bushfires, and heatwaves, all exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels like coal, further degrade their already diminished habitats. Consequently, the cumulative impacts of coal mining not only directly reduce koala populations through habitat loss but also indirectly through the long-term, devastating effects of climate change, leading to higher mortality rates and a significant decline in their populations.
Australia has around 100 coal mines and 53 proposals for new coal mines and expansions. As of May 2024, over half of these projects have koala impacts. Currently, Australia exports more coal than any other country on the planet. Many of these coal mines and projects will destroy Koala habitat in NSW and QLD, and continue fuelling dangerous climate change - one of the biggest threats the survival of the Koala.