Koalas
Koalas live in the tall eucalypt forests and low eucalypt woodlands of mainland eastern Australia and on some islands off the southern and eastern coasts. Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia are the only states where Koalas are found naturally in the wild.
HABITAT LOSS is the greatest problem facing koalas. The main reasons for this are land clearing, bushfires and diseases of the eucalypts, like ‘dieback' which cause the trees to die.
Australia has one of the highest land clearing rates in the world. 80% of koala habitat has already disappeared.
Food
Eucalypts provide the only food source for koalas. It stands to reason that if eucalypts are under threat, then koalas are also under threat.
A koala needs to eat 200-500 gms of eucalyptus leaves each day. These long, slender leaves fall from thin stems and are suspended at the end of branches.
Ivy will weaken the already fragile branches and stems and prevent the leaves and flowers from forming.
Mobility
Koalas walk between trees and ascend the trunk by springing from the ground and grabbing the bark with their long claws. They will bound upwards, or descend the tree, by digging their claws into the bark. For the average 9kg koala, manoeuvring along a branch to reach the leaves takes considerable skill and is only achieved by long claws clutching into the bark.
Koalas require a solid surface - the firmness of the trunk or branch - for stability.
Impact of ivy
How will ivy impact the koalas’ habitat?
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quickly covers the trunk and smaller branches
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the weight of ivy will bring down fragile branches
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introduces pests and disease
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provides an unstable surface for climbing
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covers the fork where koalas like to sleep
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upper branches and leaves will not support the weight of ivy
