Australian fires have devastated koala population. Could they be introduced in New Zealand to prevent extinction?
- At least 26 people have died and several thousand homes have been destroyed. It is believed that more than 1 billion animals have been killed in the inferno
- As a result, thousands of people have signed a petition calling for koalas to be brought to New Zealand, although importing new species can be risky
Thousands of people have signed a petition calling for koalas to be introduced to New Zealand after Australia's devastating bush fires destroyed wide stretches of the animal’s habitat.
“Koalas are functionally extinct in Australia, and could thrive in New Zealand, as many other Australasian species do,” the petition that was signed by more than 5,000 people on Monday morning said. “They would not compromise our local ecosystem, as koalas typically inhabit open eucalypt woodlands, and the leaves of these trees make up most of their diet.”
The petition said the country had almost 30,000 hectares of such woodland, similar to Australian forests.
Across Australia, more than 10 million hectares of land has burned since the bush fire season started in September. At least 26 people have died and several thousand homes have been destroyed. It is believed that more than 1 billion animals have been killed in the inferno.
“Koalas have always been affected by fire but the problem these days is that the koala is a vulnerable species, facing many different threats,” said Dr Valentina Mella from Sydney University’s Faculty of Science. “The added impact of fire might have catastrophic effects on koala populations.”
Australian PM proposes inquiry into bush fires response
Koalas could now be listed as endangered in some parts of Australia, according to Environment Minister Sussan Ley, who announced a A$50 million (US$35 million) funding package on Monday to help protect wildlife and restore the natural habitat.
“It may be necessary ... to see whether in certain parts of the country, koalas move from where they are, which is often vulnerable, up to endangered,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Introducing Australian species to New Zealand though has often led to unintentional results. After possums were introduced in the 1850s to establish a fur trade, the population quickly exploded into the millions and they remain a pest today.
While protected in Australia as native species, the cat-sized marsupial has become New Zealand's most damaging animal pest, wreaking havoc on native forests.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
