Koalas aren't functionally extinct, but they need our help

The koala is one of the most iconic Australian marsupials. The gray fuzzballs spend nearly all their time in the trees, surviving on a diet of toxic leaves and a healthy routine of extended naps. As Australia suffered through unprecedented bushfires over the past few weeks, the plight of the koala has been front page news. Images abound of the marsupials with charred skin and dehydration plastered across their faces, crawling to safety as flames lash at surrounding bushland.

The bushfires have wreaked havoc across Australia, destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares. It's estimated up to 1,000 koalas may have died, including half the population living in Port Macquarie. It's a tragedy for a species already struggling to survive against the effects of climate change, disease and deforestation.

A number of recent headlines suggest the bushfires destroyed up to 80% of the koala's habitat, rendering the species "functionally extinct." This has elicited a visceral response online, with articles shared far and wide across social media. And that makes sense: The koala is a beloved species inherently tied to the Australian identity, and its decline speaks directly to failures in combating climate change. The species is an innocent bystander quite literally in the line of fire because of human inaction.

But the (somewhat) good news is that experts don't agree koalas are "functionally extinct" and it's not the bushfires that pushed them to the brink. The idea the species was in danger was broached long before bushfires began to slither across Australia.


https://www.cnet.com/news/koalas-are-not-functionally-extinct-but-they-need-our-help/