Decline of the Koalas Population: Evaluation of Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Climate Change on Australian Species Already Threatened

The paper discusses the decline of Koalas population due to climate change and effective strategies to reduce the impact. It covers the factors affecting the Koala population, the dependence of Koalas on Eucalyptus forest, and the physiological stress caused by extreme climate conditions. The paper also highlights the need for suitable policies and regulations to maintain the ecological balance and protect the species.

DECLINE OF THE KOALAS POPULATION: EVALUATION OF
STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
ON AUSTRALIAN SPECIES ALREADY THREATENED
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Executive Summary
Koala population faces the huge threat from the various factors like dog attack then the road
traffic, loss of habitat and also the climate change in the world. The global warming and the
climatr5e change is the biggest issues that are being faced by the species in the world. This
species is rapidly decreasing and their number has dropped to 90,000 and the rate is decreasing
every year. The government has provided effective strategies and measures for the prevention of
this species in the world.
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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Hypothesis or problem.............................................................................................................................3
Background.................................................................................................................................................3
Systematic Literature review.......................................................................................................................3
Methods.......................................................................................................................................................4
Quantitative Approach.............................................................................................................................4
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................5
References...................................................................................................................................................6
Appendix.....................................................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
The population of Koala is gradually decreasing within the world and they are becoming the
endangered species (Lunney et al., 2017). Koala is vastly found in the eastern part of Australia
and almost 90,000 of this species are left in the world. To understand the effective measures that
need to provide for the protection of Koala in the world is discussed in the paper. The report also
discusses the factors that are affecting the Koala pollution which lead to the decline of the
species.
Hypothesis or problem
The problem that is faced by the population of Koalas is due to the change in the climate. It is the
rising threat for the Koalas population due to which the decline within the population can be
effectively focused.
Background
The systematic research on the topic provides the view that:
 The population of Koala is directly depended on the Eucalyptus forest for their food
source
 The global warming is the biggest threat to the population of Koala along with the other
threats like road traffic, then shrinking habitat and so on
 The conservation for Koala and the management strategy evaluates to reduce the impact
of climate change threat on the species
 The extreme condition of climate creates physiological stress on the species Koala
Further discussion on the various research on the decline in Koala population is being provided
in Table 1 in Appendix.
Systematic Literature review
Koalas occupies the vast range of the southern as well as eastern Australia. According to
Bhandari, (2013), the population of Koala in Australia is facing a huge threat from the various
factors and one of the major factor is climate change. This lead to the loss of food and habitat of
the species which is the primary reason for their decline. As per Gonzalez-Astudillo, Allavena,
McKinnon, Larkin, & Henning, (2017), Koala directly depend on the Eucalyptus forest for their
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food and their habitat. This also became the major issue for the species as the growing
population of the country and the increasing global warming is causing the huge impact on the
Eucalyptus forest.
Due to the loss of habitat and the food sources, the species have to travel in the locality and for
that, they are facing threats due to road traffic than the dog attack and so on. In the words of
Environment and Communication References Committee (2018), it can be seen that the
population of Koala has significantly declined in the past 20 years and only 90,000 Koalas are
left all over the world. All the threats that are faced by the Koala population lead to the various
disease which is the major cause of the decline of the species. According to Reckless, Murray, &
Crowther, (2018), the process of conservation as well as managing the Koala population is in the
process but they are not providing an effective impact on the situation.
As per Butt et al., (2016), various steps are to be undertaken by the government to prevent the
decline of the species within the country by maintaining the wildlife policies. The population of
Koala is rapidly decreasing and this needs to be maintained by effective policies and regulations.
In the words of Shumway, Lunney, Seabrook, & McAlpine, (2015), it can be seen that the
species suffer huge stress due to the extreme climate condition in the country. The effective
strategies that are effectively required to maintain the species are to maintain the habitat of the
species and provide them the suitable condition within the country. The species is under the huge
threat and it is the task of all the people along with the government to maintain the ecological
balance and the activity for maintaining the population of Koala in the world.
Methods
Quantitative Approach
The quantitative approach primarily focuses on the statistics and the report for analyzing the
issues (Anderson et al., 2018). In this, the sources are gathered from the various secondary
sources and also provided an effective view of the activity that is being performed by the
researcher. The data and the information on the population ration of the species are gathered with
the help of suitable and effective research that took place previously (Robinson et al., 2016). The
accurate data for the population of Koala in the world and the number of Koala present in
Australia is provided with the help of quantitative approach for performing the suitable and
effective working function on the research paper. The analysis is done on the basis of this
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information from the different sources of the government statistics then the internet and other
sources like the magazine and so on. This provides the suitable and effective view on the reason
for the decline and also the suitable strategy for maintaining the process.
The process of the literature review is being performed to understand the various reason and the
factors that create an issue for the population of Koala. It is essential to maintain the activity of
the people to provide suitable climate condition for the species in the world (Laugé, Hernantes,
& Sarriegi, 2015). It is the duty of the government and the common people to look after the
various species in the market and to provide a suitable solution for the protection of the species.
Conclusion
The paper eventually concludes the facts that the Koala is gradually becoming the endangered
species if suitable and effective measures are not taken in the meantime. It can be concluded
from the facts that the people need to develop various protection rules and regulation for the
species all over the world.
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References
Anderson, D. R., Sweeney, D. J., Williams, T. A., Camm, J. D., & Cochran, J. J. (2018). An
Introduction to Management Science: Quantitative Approach. Cengage Learning.
Bhandari, N. (2013). Climate change compounds rising threats to the koala. Retrieved 29 May
2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/30/climate-change-
threats-koalas
Butt, N., Possingham, H. P., De Los Rios, C., Maggini, R., Fuller, R. A., Maxwell, S. L., &
Watson, J. E. M. (2016). Challenges in assessing the vulnerability of species to climate
change to inform conservation actions. Biological Conservation, 199, 10-15.
Environment and Communication References Committee (2018). Savethekoala.com. Retrieved
29 May 2018, from https://www.savethekoala.com/sites/savethekoala.com/files/uploads/
old/pdfworddocs/conserve/senatereport.pdf
Gonzalez-Astudillo, V., Allavena, R., McKinnon, A., Larkin, R., & Henning, J. (2017). Decline
causes of Koalas in South East Queensland, Australia: a 17-year retrospective study of
mortality and morbidity. Scientific Reports, 7, 42587. doi:10.1038/srep42587
Laugé, A., Hernantes, J., & Sarriegi, J. M. (2015). Critical infrastructure dependencies: A
holistic, dynamic and quantitative approach. International Journal of Critical
Infrastructure Protection, 8, 16-23.
Lunney, D., Predavec, M., Sonawane, I., Kavanagh, R., Barrott-Brown, G., Phillips, S., ... &
Shannon, I. (2017). The remaining koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) of the Pilliga forests,
north-west New South Wales: refugial persistence or a population on the road to
extinction?. Pacific Conservation Biology, 23(3), 277-294.
Reckless, H. J., Murray, M., & Crowther, M. S. (2018). A review of climatic change as a
determinant of the viability of koala populations. Wildlife Research, 44(7), 458-470.
Robinson, J. G., Huijgen, R., Ray, K., Persons, J., Kastelein, J. J., & Pencina, M. J. (2016).
Determining when to add nonstatin therapy: a quantitative approach. Journal of the
American College of Cardiology, 68(22), 2412-2421.
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Shumway, N., Lunney, D., Seabrook, L., & McAlpine, C. (2015). Saving our national icon: An
ecological analysis of the 2011 Australian Senate inquiry into the status of the
koala. Environ. Sci. Policy, 54, 297-303.
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Appendix
Table: Comparison of five articles on decline of Koala populations
Author, Year Title of the paper codes Comment
Reckless, H. J.,
Murray, M., &
Crowther, M. S.
(2018).
A review of climatic
change as a
determinant of the
viability
of koala populations
Koala protection  Climate create
huge threat
for koalas
 They are
depend on the
eucalyptus
forest
 Decreasing in
population
Neena Bhandari
(2013)
Climate change
compounds rising
threats to koala
Koala protection  4000 kolas are
killed each
year
 Dry period is
longer
 Increase in the
climate
Butt, N., Possingham,
H. P., De Los Rios,
C., Maggini, R.,
Fuller, R. A.,
Maxwell, S. L., &
Watson, J. E. M.
(2016).
Challenges in
assessing the
vulnerability of
species to climate
change to
inform conservation
actions
Koala protection  Climate
change have
direct impact
on the Koalas
 It is the only
threat to the
species
 Suitable
measures are
required to
maintain
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Shumway, N.,
Lunney, D.,
Seabrook, L., &
McAlpine, C. (2015).
Saving our national
icon: An ecological
analysis of the 2011
Australian
Senate inquiry into
status of the koala
Koala protection  Saving the
national icon
of Australia
 Suitable and
effective
policy for the
protection
 Contribution
of common
people
Lunney, D.,
Predavec, M.,
Sonawane, I.,
Kavanagh, R.,
Barrott-Brown, G.,
Phillips, S., ... &
Shannon, I. (2017).
The remaining koalas
(Phascolarctos
cinereus) of the
Pilliga forests, north-
west New South
Wales: refugial
persistence or a
population on the
road to extinction?
Koala protection  Maintain the
remaining
Koalas
 Protection to
the nature and
the species
 Provide
suitable
environment
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