Environment & Energy

Judi Lynn

(160,707 posts) Fri May 17, 2019, 05:33 AM May 2019

Koalas are 'functionally extinct', say campaigners

Koalas are ‘functionally extinct', say campaigners
16 May 201916 May 2019Last updated at 01:21

GETTY IMAGES

Animal campaigners say that koala numbers have fallen so low that the animal is "functionally extinct".

The Australian Koala Foundation says there are fewer than 80,000 koalas left in the wild.

Although 80,000 sounds like a lot, the foundation says these koalas are unlikely to produce a new generation.

'Functionally extinct' describes an animal population which has so few pairs that they are unlikely to produce a new generation.

It can also describe an animal which is breeding in such few numbers that they are more likely to become ill from disease.

More:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/48284392

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Koalas are 'functionally extinct', say campaigners (Original Post) Judi Lynn May 2019 OP

In the photos of fires we see koalas drinking water from people's bottles... IndyOp May 2019 #1

+1000 Baitball Blogger May 2019 #6

Heartbreaking. sinkingfeeling May 2019 #2

Very sad and disturbing. gademocrat7 May 2019 #3

. pazzyanne May 2019 #4

Those numbers are really sus... Thyla May 2019 #5

Thank you for these links! Both articles are enlightening. (nt) IndyOp May 2019 #7

No worries Thyla May 2019 #8

Macca loves the koala bear! Dennis Donovan May 2019 #9

IndyOp

(15,542 posts)

1. In the photos of fires we see koalas drinking water from people's bottles...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri May 17, 2019, 06:22 AM

May 2019

that’s not sweet, not an indication that people are kind and care about nature

It is an indication of a species on its deathbed - healthy wild animals with room to live free don’t resort to approaching humans for care.

The more close up shots of wildlife I see - great apes with keepers who guard their territory to keep out poachers and vet who visits a pangolin sanctuary - the more confident I am that the U.N. one million species going extinct estimate is right.

So... seeing a great photo of a wild animal now leaves me feeling sick 🤢

Half of the greenhouse gas in the air was put there in the last 20 years - we did that, everyone reading this post who is 30+ years old has gone along with a way of life that is going to destroy us - watching nature die is going to shake humanity to it’s core.