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A proposal to shoot 20,000 koalas living on one of Australia's largest offshore islands has outraged wildlife lovers and attracted condemnation from around the world.

Up to 30,000 koalas now inhabit Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia, and scientists say that unless two-thirds of the population is culled they will do irreparable damage to the eucalyptus trees on which they feed.

Kangaroo Island  was devoid of koalas until 1928, when 20 were brought over from Victoria. Since then they have thrived, taking advantage of the island's  gum trees and the absence of predators.

But experts say their  chomping  is threatening to strip the island bare.

David Paton, an environmental scientist from the University of Adelaide,  believes there is little choice but to shoot up to 20,000 koalas  to protect the island's  ecosystem.

'We've probably only got five years left before the system becomes unrecoverable,' Dr Paton said. 'There's no intent to wipe out the koalas.'

The plan is supported by Michael Pengilly, the mayor of Kangaroo Island,  which has a population of 4,400. 'Something clearly has to be done. The koalas are eating themselves out of house and home. They are crucifying the gum trees and will start dying of starvation unless their numbers are reduced,' he said.

Mr Pengilly admitted the shooting plan had prompted messages of protest from Japan, the US and Europe.

Wildlife groups are  opposed to the cull and say the koalas should either be sterilised or moved.

While the debate rages between the two camps, the South Australian government has ruled out shooting the animals, at least for now. 'We believe the outcry from abroad would be catastrophic to Kangaroo Island's image,' a spokesman for the state's environment minister, John Hill, said. 'We still believe desexing and relocation are the best ways forward.'



Kangaroo Island could cull 20,000 tree-chomping koalas