An Inconvenient Koala: The case for a Koala Protection Act www.savethekoala.com
The Australian Koala Foundation • The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is the principal non-profit, non- government organisation dedicated to the conservation and effective management of the wild koala and its habitat. • We take no money from Government, so that we can speak the truth for the Koala www.savethekoala.com
Federal Koala Protection in Australia • The Koala was listed as a Vulnerable species under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in May 2012. • Listing only protects Koalas in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT. • There is no Federal protection for Koalas in Victoria and South Aust. www.savethekoala.com
Federal Koala Protection in Australia State Federal Federal % Decline Government Government 1990 Estimate 2010 Estimate Queensland 295,000 167,000 43.4 New South Wales 31,400 21,000 33.1 Victoria 215,000 200,000 7 South Australia 32,000 19,500 39.1 National Total 573,400 407,500 28.9 • The threshold for a National Listing is 30% • Where is the Precautionary Principle? www.savethekoala.com
Federal Koala Protection in Australia State Federal Federal % Decline AKF Estimate Government Government 1990 Estimate 2010 Estimate Queensland 295,000 167,000 43.4 17,375-33,735 New South Wales 31,400 21,000 33.1 10,050-14,070 Victoria 215,000 200,000 7 21,240-47,980 South Australia 32,000 19,500 39.1 12,180-13,970 National Total 573,400 407,500 28.9 60,845-109,755 • AKF estimates, which are generated from mapping and probability models (informed by research across Australia), are far lower • How did the Federal Government get such massive numbers? www.savethekoala.com
Federal Koala Protection in Australia State Federal Federal % Decline AKF Estimate Government Government 1990 Estimate 2010 Estimate Queensland 295,000 167,000 43.4 17,375-33,735 New South Wales 31,400 21,000 33.1 10,050-14,070 Victoria 215,000 200,000 7 21,240-47,980 South Australia 32,000 19,500 39.1 12,180-13,970 National Total 573,400 407,500 28.9 60,845-109,755 • Victorian and South Australian populations are not listed because the Federal Government manipulated the numbers for Koalas in Victoria and South Australia • This was based only on the opinion of the Victorian State Government that the estimate for 2010 was wrong (TSSC Listing Advice 2012) www.savethekoala.com
So, how many Koalas were there? • Research has revealed millions of Koala skins were exported from Australia before 1930 www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • Urban development and associated habitat loss continues with little real constraint 2008 Look at the changes here… www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • Urban development and associated habitat loss continues with little real constraint 2010 Look at the changes here… www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • Urban development and associated habitat loss continues with little real constraint 2010 …and here www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • Urban development and associated habitat loss continues with little real constraint 2013 …and here www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • In this case, the site is good habitat, and Koala activity levels are medium (which means the site is important) • Why then did the environmental consultants suggest it is low- value Koala habitat? • Federal Government takes this on face value… SAT Site Activity Level 1 2 2 23 3 27 4 20 5 27 6 7 www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • Infrastructure development is consistently prioritised over the environment (Bush is cheaper) www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • Forestry activities continue to threaten Koala populations • Who is keeping watch? Who prosecutes? www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • Mining operations continue to clear quality habitats, with the promise of rehabilitated habitat for Koalas in 30+ years time • Will that habitat ever be restored? • Will there still be Koalas around to use it? • Who is watching to see if these trees are planted? • Will they? • Do we trust them? www.savethekoala.com
The current system is failing • We haven’t even begun to see the impacts of mining and CSG • What will this mean, not just for the Koala, but for agriculture, and water? www.savethekoala.com
And numbers continue to plummet • The Koala Coast (Southeast QLD) has the best long term data • Numbers have decline by 68% between 1997 and 2010 • No data on further surveys has been released. Why? Koala Coast Population Abundance 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 Source: QLD Department of 1000 Environment and Heritage 0 Protection 2012 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 www.savethekoala.com Estimated Koala Abundance
And numbers continue to plummet • Sharp declines are echoed around the country State Federal Federal % Decline AKF Estimate Government Government 1990 Estimate 2010 Estimate Queensland 295,000 167,000 43.4 17,375-33,735 New South Wales 31,400 21,000 33.1 10,050-14,070 Victoria 215,000 200,000 7 21,240-47,980 South Australia 32,000 19,500 39.1 12,180-13,970 National Total 573,400 407,500 28.9 60,845-109,755 • How long can this continue before Koalas are functionally extinct? www.savethekoala.com
And numbers continue to plummet • Of 22,000+ koalas reported in Queensland since 1997, nearly 75% were Dead on Arrival or subsequently died Cause of Death Dead Released • How long can this continue before Koalas are functionally extinct? www.savethekoala.com
And numbers continue to plummet • Koala hospitals nationwide show as many, if not more Koalas are dying than are released 100 140 90 120 80 100 70 80 Admission 60 60 Released Admission 50 40 Died Released 40 20 Died Euthanased 30 0 Euthanased In care 20 Transferred 10 0 Sep-06 Apr-07 Nov-07 Jun-08 Jan-09 Aug-09 Mar-10 Oct-10 May-11 Dec-11 Jul-12 Feb-13 Sep-13 Apr-14 Nov-14 • How long can this continue before Koalas are functionally extinct? www.savethekoala.com
And numbers continue to plummet • A Government project monitored 441 Koalas between May 2013 – January 2015; half these animals are now dead Cause of Death Mortality Dogs Carpet Python Cars Other Alive Dead Disease Unknown • How long can this continue before Koalas are extinct? www.savethekoala.com
The National picture • Lack of effective legislation to protect Koalas from the myriad threats • Has the EPBC Act and the Federal listing improved outcomes for Koalas? No • Lack of any coherent plan for the conservation of the Koala • What did the National Koala Conservation and Management Strategy (2009-2014) achieve? Nothing • Where is the Koala Recovery Plan? In consultation with the QLD Government, but who knows when it will be released… www.savethekoala.com
It’s time for new thinking • A simple piece of legislation to protect Koalas and Koala habitat: The Koala Protection Act (KPA) www.savethekoala.com
A new way - The Bald Eagle Act • Enacted in 1940 • A key driving principle behind the Act was the protection of a National Icon in a time of War • Simple legislation – you can’t touch the bird, you can’t touch nest trees www.savethekoala.com
The Koala is one of the few species that can change the world www.savethekoala.com
The Koala is one of the few species that can change the world www.savethekoala.com
The Koala is one of the few species that can change the world www.savethekoala.com
The Koala is one of the few species that can change the world www.savethekoala.com
It’s not just about the Koala • If you protect Koala habitat, you protect the habitat of a range of other species • There are currently 1,664 Threatened Species in Potential Koala Habitat threatened species in Australia; if you protect Koala habitat, you also protect the homes of at Low Low-Med Medium Med-High least 1,000 of these High species www.savethekoala.com
It’s not just about the Koala • Koala tourism is estimated to contribute $AU 3.2 billion to the Australian economy each year • Koala tourism is responsible for 30,000 jobs www.savethekoala.com
It’s time for something new • It’s not about stopping development; it’s about better development (e.g. AKF’s Koala Beach) www.savethekoala.com
It’s time for something new “The AKF is not the custodian of the Koala, nor is any Zoo, nor is any Vet, nor is any University, nor is any koala hospital or carer group. “The custodian of the Koala is the Australian Government, and they have abrogated their responsibility and allowed immense cruelty to be perpetrated on the Koala for last 200 years. “It is truly time for something new.” Deborah Tabart OAM www.savethekoala.com
Two simple questions Do you agree that the Koala need protection? Do you agree that, to protect Koalas we need to protect habitat? www.savethekoala.com
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