Habitat loss means koalas doomed in NSW, MPs say

There are fears koalas could be extinct in NSW by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.

The fragmentation and loss of habitat from land-clearing posed the most serious threat to koalas. Picture: Steve Pohlner

There are fears koalas could be extinct in NSW by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.

A year-long parliamentary study, released on Tuesday, found the destruction of koala habitat for agriculture, development, mining and forestry had severely impacted most populations of the animals.

The study made 16 findings and 42 recommendations about the future of koalas in NSW.

Committee chairwoman Cate Faehrmann wrote that it was “deeply distressing” but extremely important for MPs to agree to the finding that koalas would become extinct in the state without urgent government intervention.

The committee also found that the official government estimate of 36,000 koalas was outdated and unreliable.

Ms Faehrmann said the fragmentation and loss of habitat from land-clearing posed the most serious threat to koalas.

“The only way our children’s grandchildren will see a koala in the wild in NSW will be if the government acts upon the ­committee’s recommendations,” she said.

“Climate change is having a severe impact on koalas, not only by affecting the quality of their food and habitat, but also by compounding the severity and threats of other impacts, such as drought and bushfires.

“I particularly encourage the government to investigate the establishment of the ‘great koala national park’ on the NSW mid-north coast without delay.”

While the findings were alarming, some experts have moved to temper the language of the report.

Associate professor Mathew Crowther said that, while there was no denying koalas were in trouble in many areas across the state, to say that by 2050 the entire koala population would be lost was an “extrapolation and exaggeration”.

“The combination of habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change and disease … will mean there will be some localised ­extinctions,” the University of Sydney professor said.

“We can certainly help populations so that does not occur, and what we are talking about here is protecting certain areas against development.”

While he agreed there was always more that could be done, Professor Crowther said a conflict emerged when it came to protecting koalas “because they want to live in the areas the NSW government wants to develop”.

“NSW has to really consider their options. There’s koalas on the one hand and the interest of certain groups on the other,” he said.

“We have to stop habitation fragmentation and we have to deal seriously with climate change, and then we might be in a position to have koalas thrive beyond 2050 in a reasonable state.”