Koalas Could be Extinct Due to Chlamydia and Climate Change

by Scott Wu | November 10, 2009 at 11:17 am

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The Australian Koala Foundation warned that koalas could become "extinct within 30 years" due to chlamydia outbreak, climate change, disease, and overdevelopment. The group urged the government to list koalas as vulnerable species after they discovered a "drastic decline" of koala population.

A study found a sharp decline in koala population from 100,000 in 2003 to between 43,000 to 80,000. A large population died because of chlamydia outbreak, a sexually transmitted disease, and others have been adversely affected by climate change and habitat loss due to deforestation.

We have a very high level of confidence that it accurately shows a drastic decline," said the foundation's chief executive, Deborah Tabart.

Hotter, drier conditions had also reduced the nutritional value of their staple food, eucalyptus leaves, leading to fatal malnutrition.

in one area of northern Queensland state which had an estimated 20,000 koalas a decade ago, a team of eight people did not find even one koala after four days of recent searching, Ms Tabart said.

Previous attempt to have koalas listed as vulnerable species failed in 2006. The committee decide on its recommendation in mid-2010.

NowPublic reported on the chlamydia outbreak 3 months ago, read the full story: Urogenital Chlamydiosis Kills Sam the Koala.