The koala, a marsupial, is a native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats. The koala is found in coastal areas of the mainland’s eastern and southern regions, inhabiting Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. It is easily recognizable by its stout, tailless body and large head with round, fluffy ears and large, spoon-shaped nose. Increasing loss of habituate due to industrialization and modernization of the world has resulted in the decrease of Koala. They have reduced in a high rate which is an alarm which says that Koalas needs good care and surveillance or very soon they will also be marked as an endangered species.
Scientists say, every day almost hundred species of different animals are becoming extinct due to various reasons. The immediate threat for the Koalas is an alien disease that is transmitted sexually. A number of Koalas in Australia are presently suffering from this disease. Last month a Koala named Sherwood Robin, a 12 years Koala was admitted to a veteran hospital in Australia and his condition was so serious that doctors don’t expect him to live long. At this point the important question is how is this marsupial s getting affected by such deadly disease?
Director. Chaine Flaunagan of Port Macau’s Koala Hospital commented that it is the bad effect of human’s activities that are harming these Koalas immensely. Their continuous loss of habitat and their struggle for food and shelter is resulting in their rapid decrease in number. Few other reasons for the reduction in number from the eastern coast of Australia is frequent accidents by vehicles, disturbance of wild dogs, change in environment and attack of disease like STD. Statistics say that in 1788 the Eastern coast of Australia consisted of almost a crore Koalas but in 2012 it has reduced to 3 lakhs and 30 thousand. The reduction in number of Koala is also seen in New South Whales. Damiyen Higgins of Koala Health Hub of Sydney has commented that in a rat race to win, we the humans are becoming negligent towards the natural world.
This is a warning bell for all human, save the trees and save the environment. Live and let live.
~ Live and let Live ~
