Norvergence: Australia Bushfires Killed Hundreds of Koalas, Making them “Functionally Extinct”

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Researchers at Norvergence have found that hundreds of Koalas are dead because of the bush fires that swept across a coastal reserve in New South Wales.

The Koalas population is now considered as “functionally extinct” (they have so few pairs left that there are almost no chances for them to produce a whole new generation).

The chairman of the Australian Koala Foundation, Deborah Tabart said and Norvergence quotes: “If we combine all of the estimated deaths of koalas in the bushfires, there could be 1000 koalas that have been killed in the last two months.

We know 31 koalas have been killed in Port Macquarie, but I think that is not a high enough number.”

She further added: “We think there are 18,000 koalas in New South Wales alone, so the bushfires have had a massive impact on their population.

”We think there are 18,000 koalas in New South Wales alone, so the bushfires have had a massive impact on their population.”

Norvergence: Australian Government failed to Protect Koala

The Victorian government had failed to protect Koala and also the federal government had not listed them on the endangered species in the area (Victoria).

People are angry with the environment minister Tony Burke as Tabart added: “I’m angry with Tony Burke for not listing it properly and I have no respect for the Victorian government, which has just asked industry what it’s doing and they’ve said ‘no worries, mate’.

It seems that the Victorian government truly believes koalas are pests that require no management at all. There has been massive cruelty to koalas in Victoria over the years,”

On the other hand, Greens senator Lee Rhiannon also accused the government of not taking responsible steps (Norvergence quotes): “I call on government ministers to stop regarding koalas as pests and show leadership to provide the protection Australians expect koalas to be given.

The logging industry urgently needs harvesting protocols to ensure trees are cut with minimum impact on koalas, and koala habitat is protected so healthy populations are easily able to move across the landscape.”

According to The Guardian and quoted by Norvergence: The project manager of terrestrial biodiversity at Victoria’s department of environment and primary industries, said: “There are significant numbers of koalas in most suitable habitats across the south-west. The high population numbers have resulted in many moving into the blue gum estate in the region.

This is a significant issue for the timber plantation industry that they haven’t had to address before.

The increase in koala numbers reported in individual plantations has prompted Depi, wildlife carers and industry to come together to formulate new management procedures.

Depi is working with the blue gum plantation industry in the south-west to make sure it responds humanely and effectively to the recent influx of koalas onto its plantation estate.”

Norvergence: Climate Change is also responsible for Koalas’ decreasing population

Scientists at Norvergence also consider heatwaves (typically caused by climate change) is also a major factor in sweeping out the population of Koalas.

Several Koalas died from dehydration because of the extensive heatwave in Australia.