Koalas blamed for island destruction

[dplax]

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) -- Cute, cuddly and fast breeding, thousands of koalas are eating themselves out of a home on an Australian island. But authorities are refusing to heed conservationists' pleas to reduce the population, fearing a backlash from tourists and animal rights activists.


South Australia state Environment Minister John Hill said tourism would drop dramatically if koalas were killed on Kangaroo Island.

"We rely a lot on the international market for our tourists," Hill told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio, adding the issue was particularly sensitive in Japan.

The island's estimated 30,000 koalas have stripped many of the island's eucalyptus trees of leaves, the animal's sole food source, and they could face eventual starvation.

Matt Turner, scientific officer for the state's Nature Conservation Society, said state authorities need to thin the koala population to preserve the ecosystem of the island, 45 miles off the coast of South Australia state. Koalas were first introduced to the island 100 years ago.

"Some areas of the island, the trees are so heavily defoliated that trees are actually dying," he told The Associated Press. "They are having a devastating effect on the island."

Authorities have already tried sterilizing the animals and moving them off the island, but their numbers continue to rise.

Turner believes the population should be reduced to a small population of koalas that can be kept in an enclosed area for tourists to see.

"But there is no political will," he added. "When you start talking about culling native wildlife, particularly cute and cuddly ones, there is a community backlash and that is what basically has forced the government into ... a position where they cannot do any culling."

[ryaldin]

Originally posted by dplax: Koalas were first introduced to the island 100 years ago.

So I'm assuming nobody bothered to 'introduce' any predators when they brought the koalas over?

[Davros]

Predators? We aren't well known for our predators over here. The closest predator to Kangaroo Island would be the Great White's out in the surrounding seas. Not real skilled at climbin trees is your average Great White

[ryaldin]

Originally posted by Davros: Predators? We aren't well known for our predators over here. The closest predator to Kangaroo Island would be the Great White's out in the surrounding seas. Not real skilled at climbin trees is your average Great White

Ah, you've stumbled upon a solution! Throw the Koala's into the ocean: predators have prey, trees keep leaves, and amature photographers can make some interesting photos to use for the mock 'Priceless' ads. perfect [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

[Timber Loftis]

This'll be resolved once word gets out what good eatin' koalas are.

I have a naughty koala joke I'm tempted to tell, but this is a family forum. Let's just say the punchline includes the part of the dictionary's entry for "koala" stating that a koala "eats shoots and leaves." [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

[Black Baron]

"Nothing makes a good desert as a" koa.. sorry- "goat".
terry pratchett.

[WillowIX]

Sooner or later nature will solve the problem. Either the koalas change their behavior, or some of the population will starve to death. Of course tourists probably won't like it when the ground is littered by dead koalas.

[Cloudbringer]

Originally posted by Davros: Predators? We aren't well known for our predators over here. The closest predator to Kangaroo Island would be the Great White's out in the surrounding seas. Not real skilled at climbin trees is your average Great White

Well, there's your problem, man! Start teaching them to fly or something! sheesh! [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Seriously, I think what they need is a more efficient means of sterilizing the current population to keep the numbers from escalating. It's sad to think they're eating themselves, quite literally, out of house and home!

[Timber Loftis]

One wonders if we can learn a lesson from these koalas? [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

[ryaldin]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: One wonders if we can learn a lesson from these koalas? [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

Never teach sharks to fly?