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Joel Sartore/National Geographic
Savaged by a dog, Bruzer, a young male, recuperates from surgery at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, where hundreds of koalas are treated every year for injuries inflicted by dogs or automobiles. With his facial bones crushed, Bruzer succumbed to infection and complications after veterinarians tried to repair his sinuses.
Troubled koalas find themselves inside the pages of the May edition of National Geographic magazine. Photographs by Joel Sartore.
The koala, cuddly symbol of a nation and one of the most beloved animals on the planet, is in crisis. Before Europeans settled Australia more than two centuries ago, about ten million koalas lived in a 1,500-mile-long swath of the east coast eucalyptus forests. Hunted for their luxurious fur, koalas were brought to the edge of extinction in the southern half of their range. In the northern half, Queensland, a million were killed in 1919 alone. After the last open season in Queensland was held in 1927, only tens of thousands remained.
Joel Sartore/National Geographic
Up a tree in Petrie, a town north of Brisbane, a female koala watches photo assistant Jess Hooper approach with a basket to drop on her if she comes down before rescuers arrive. Koalas often return to trees they consider their territory, says rescuer Megan Aitken, "even if those trees are now in somebody's front yard."
Joel Sartore/National Geographic
Wielding a blanket, Megan Aitken of the Moreton Bay Koala Rescue team bundles a young male that was hit by a car. Development in prime koala habitat makes such scenes inevitable, she says, while the government ignores the warnings: "If koalas aren't protected, we're looking at local extinction within five years."
Through the next half century their numbers slowly rebounded, in part due to efforts to relocate and recolonize them. Then urbanization began to take its toll. Habitat was lost, and diseases spread. With urbanization came the threat of dogs and highways. Since 1990, when about 430,000 koalas inhabited Australia, their numbers have dropped sharply. Because surveys are difficult, current population estimates vary widely—from a low of 44,000 by advocacy groups to a high of 300,000 by government agencies. More than a decade ago a survey of the Koala Coast, a 93,000-acre region in southeastern Queensland, estimated a koala population of 6,200; today there are believed to be around 2,000.
Joel Sartore/National Geographic
With no place to hide, koalas are being squeezed out of Queensland communities like North Lakes that 20 years ago were farmland and wildlife habitat. Hunted ruthlessly in the early 20th century, koalas were later protected and made a modest recovery. Today their numbers are again in steep decline.
“Koalas are getting caught in fences and dying, being killed by dogs, struck by vehicles, even dying simply because a homeowner cut down several eucalyptus trees in his backyard,” says Deidré de Villiers, one of the chief koala researchers at the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management. For 15 years de Villiers, 38, has been tracking koalas, monitoring populations, studying the reasons for their decline, and creating guidelines to make development more koala-friendly.
Joel Sartore/National Geographic
Killed in a single week by cars or dogs, these koalas were mourned at the vet clinic that tried to save them. During "trauma season," from July to December, when the animals descend to the ground in search of mates and new food trees, a dozen or so injured koalas a week are brought to the clinic. (To protect the identity of confidential sources, the yellow label at left has been blurred.)
National Geographic
May 2012 cover of National Geographic
De Villiers insists that koalas and humans can coexist in urban environments “if developers get on board with koala-sensitive designs,” such as lower speed limits for streets, green corridors for koala movement, and, most especially, preserving every precious eucalyptus tree.
Full story and more photos on nationalgeographic.com and in the May edition available on newsstands and on the iPad.
Leave a Comment:
Come on Aussies, you don't want to be known for the birth place of Rupert Murdoch & Koala Killers.
We'll be getting ours...sooner than you think. How's our fresh water supply looking?
First, get the dogs off the streets. If they were strict about leash laws and strays, that would help. I seriously doubt that dogs on leashes are the ones attacking. Expand the groves of eucalyptus trees, and plant more in barren areas. Are there other countries that can support eucalyptus tree growth? These adorable, defenseless animals should not be killed off. Instead of paying for studies about ridiculous things, governments could suggest studies on how to reverse real, existing problems. Don't wait until it's too late!
Southern California, especially San Diego, has many thousands of eucalyptus trees. However, the unleashed dogs and speeding idiots are even worse.
We humans are so stupid. It's like getting lung cancer and watching yourself slowly die while you smoke 2 packs a day. If we don't act to save our ecosystem, we'll destroy our own species. It's that simple.
they're too cute to die.
For God's sake, what is wrong with people? Why the hell does anyone have to buy s*** with fur? Maybe people think PETA over react when they throw dye on people, but more and more I'm beginning to think they should start throwing more. Maybe a little tar and some shaved hair and these cave people can wear fur till they can get it off with a thinner. With all the different material we have today that we can dress ourselves in can't we PLEASE stop skinning animals????
As for the over population Australian Government need to mandate a massive piece of property for a sanctuary for these animals and others that are symonomous with their country and protect them. Jesus, I though Australia was a massive country surely you can find some decent room for something besides the people.
Man is the enemy of all creatures large and small that have coexisted on this planet for eons. Koalas killed because of pets, speed, cutting down trees for building or better views, nasty fences and so forth is another example of the cruelty of man. Rhinos bleeding to death after having poacher machete half their faces for horns for ineffectual cures for sexual prowess or cancer. Sharks killed so Asians can "enjoy" sharkfin soup. Baby seals clubbed, Coral Reefs killed from waste runoff, the list continues to grow as man over populates and continues to demand more of the earth, than the earth can provide. Unfortunately man is also thick headed and does not think enough ahead but rather bemoans the loss once it is gone. Wake up people, these resources once gone will not return. We cannot continue to overbreed, over build over fish, over kill anything...
If there were Aliens, and they knew how we behaved, as soon as were able to colonize another planet like our own, they would wipe us out. I'm starting to think were just locusts.
That is totally wrong Australia needs to clean up it's act with protecting such a wonderful animal. As a little boy they were my favorite animal and STILL ARE!
Zep. They are protected have been for years. Only the Aborigines can hunt them if they are part of their food source but many clans do not touch them either as they are believed to be sacred.
We should be ashamed of ourselves.
So sad :( How could anyone not want to protect these seemingly gentle, sweet things? If I had some in or around my yard, I would try to keep them in their little trees and keep my dogs off them for sure. Come on, Aussie's!
another reaosn why humans are the worse thing to ever happen to this planet.
Oh my God, who in the name of humanity can bring themselves to kill and skin koalas?! Are they in cahoots with the baby seal-clubbers? Also, TJP must be one of them, the heartless mofo!
Probably the same people who brainlessly let their stupid dogs run loose and maul the koalas. You did read the several places in the article where it said DOGS are killing koalas, right?
Kathryn. But did they tell you how many Koalas are killed because they have gone into people's backyards???...No they just say mauled by dogs...but where....very few are mauled while roaming free, the majourity are mauled when they have unfortunatley gone in to someone's place.
We are the root of all evil..after we destroy our enviroment, our animals, then eventually we'll destroy each other.. Maybe that's the circle of life.. Koalas are sweet, gentle creatures, and they deserve our help and protection...
mam. Koalas are not sweet and gentle creatures. In the bush they are aggressive and worse if you corner them. They are only passive when stressed, sick or have been injured. Many a night I have stood under the gumtree out the front of my place with the garden hose squirting the day lights out of the male Koala. He is trying to kill the baby on the females back that he wants to mate with.....Gentle and sweet...er nope....
This is a sad story. I do feel bad for the little critters.
Then they need to be made an endangered species and have the same penalty as killing a bald eagle in the US.
Then your a$$ can wear your koala fur straight to jail.
Has anyone ever tried cooking and eating these things? Do they taste good? I'm just sayin if your going to hit one with your car, might as well skin his @ss and throw him in the oven at 350 for 60 minutes.
Step in front of a car sicko, and save us from you.
We humans think we are so superior, but we are, indeed, the worst thing that has ever occured on the planet earth. It is now, without a doubt, an "all about me world" all you have to do is watch "reality" TV, see the lack of common manners in just about everyone (but, sorry, our kids don't even know how to spell manners left alone give a definition of it) I support saving the American Bald Eagle, I pray there are Aussies who will step up to save a living thing that is so uniquely theirs and defines the gentleness of Australia. This, another animal tragedy, just breaks my heart.
Bald eagles are OK, they kinda taste like seal or maybe more like whale.
Please do what Lexi asked you to do and step in front of a car.
you mad bro :)
No, just feeling sorry for you.
The whole problem, too many people--way too many- land can't support and in the process of destroying everything, including habitat and koalas, we will destroy ourselves-and then add no regard for consequences and no respect for others, the land, the resources-
If TJP dies, I hope they feed him to the sharks. At least he'd be of some use towards helping animals.
I would love to see developer stop the encroachments in the search of the dollar. I like the comment of shot on site the roaming dogs. John Williamson wrote a soHow to make consistent round wheels on the scroll sawng about this plight years ago. Is no one listening? Does no one care? It turns my stomach inside out. Fence your dog. Make civil engineering projects for students to find a way for our furry friend to get about and the traffic to go where it does no harm. Walk to your car in carparks where no harm would come to the koalas. Slow life to their pace.
maybe we should move the Kardashians to aussie country.. they could use some skinnin'.. specially the old queen and kim...
No thanks we have our own ferals...
It's just amazing how we "humans" manage to absolutely destroy everything and anything that gets in our self serving, better than everything else, way. We manage to wipe out anything.. Why? Because we can reason and animals can't?? Because we're at the top of the food chain?? We simply don't care about anything but money and ourselves?? Yes, I put money first! These animals have every right to be here as all others as well. We need to seriously start rethinking a game plan to simply co-exist with all creatures instead of just saying " who cares".... and killing them off because we don't give a $hit! It makes me sick to my stomach on how people can be so cruel, thoughtless and hateful.. We need to wake up!
Sad. So sad. What a beautiful creature.
Every time I read about another species in peril because of man's ignorance, selfishness, personal gain or worse....progress, my heart breaks a little more. Here in North Jersey we are having mass Bear kills because we have encroached so heavily on their habitat, that hunters are allowed to mass kill 700 or more Bears in a single day. Imagine what the surviving bears must be experiencing. The same is true of the Deer populations. Every day we see more dead Deer on the sides of roads as they are mowed down by drivers likely texting away and not paying attention to these helpless animals who are trying desperately to cross the road to find food.
The Koala is a national symbol for Australia. Every effort should be made by the government there to stop the senseless slaughter of these iconic and extremely gentle, beautiful creatures!
right on the money Jeff
How can anyone do this to the poor Koala bears? :( That makes me a sad panda. :(
so!!!!!how big is that island????and where are all these stupid aussies in such a hurry to go???? it sure isnt very far ,,,,its surrounded on all sides by ....you guess it .......WATER........the aussies arent the brightess bulb in the pack ..you know.. the great whites need to eat more of those fools and throw some of them on the barbbie
Thats funny as that is what we think of you Yanks...Not the sharpest tools in the shed over there are you..Good to see you noticed we are an island...must be tough for you being sandwiched between Canada and Mexico.
Thanks for Mel Gibson, The Crocodile Hunter, Olivia Newton John, & Sheena Easton - Oh ya, & the Prisoners of Cell Block H.
Bob: Mel Gibson is not an Australian..He was born in the USA, New York to be exact..he shifted here when he was 12...So he is a US citizen...But all you Yanks mainly Oprah claimed him to be an "Ozzieee"....Sheena Easton is from Scotland not Australia....where do you get your info from???....Prisoners of Cell Block H..never heard of it..unless it is Prisoner and they have renamed it for the US market...
Thanks for being a contestant on Fact Finder. You've won a wonderful trip to the exclusive & remote Oasis of Australasia.
Bob..Drop the Asia and I will take the Australia...enjoy your day....