Down Under With The Koala
end the Australian Koala Foundation plans to draft a National Koala Act which will provide incentives to encourage landowners to participate in the protection of koala habitats" she says.
"The koala is a protected species but its habitat is not and with 80% of koala habitat occurring on privately owned land, the issue of management of koala populations on that land must be addressed" she says.
"Political support is imperative if the koala is to survive. We are calling on the Federal Government to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect the koala and that means committing to protecting its habitat and working with landowners to achieve this" Tabart says.
"Destruction of habitat is still the major threat to the koala's survival and the US Government is considering listing the koala as a 'threatened' species worldwide, citing continued and possibly accelerating destruction of habitat as the main issue" she says.
"In many cases the Australian Government is subsidising this clearing of our forests, providing incentives to land owners who cut trees down" she says.
"This madness could be so easily turned around. The koala could be the catalyst for better land use and ecological sustainability in this country" Deborah Tabart says.
"Saving the koala should be as simple as mapping and identifying koala habitat, protecting it by law and providing land-holders with incentives that will encourage them to be proud of the natural heritage that resides on their properties" she says.
"Our Federal Government cannot run away from the complexity of protecting koalas on private land which means following through with landowners. The AKF is committed to being there for the long haul and providing the science and the advice" she says.
"We are drafting the National Koala Act ourselves because we don't want to spend the next ten years feeling like we're in an episode of 'Yes Minister'," she laughs.
During Save the Koala Month this July, the Australian Koala Foundation asks all Australians to support its calls for stronger legislation to protect koala trees. Removable koala tattoos are on sale at selected newsagents & pharmacies, Bunnings Hardware Stores, Australian Geographic Stores, Toys 'R' Us and Liz Davenport Stores.
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The Koala Boy (From Koala Handbook by Simon Hunter)
This story was told long ago by the aborigines in Australia. It explains why the koala must always be treated with respect.
There was once a child whose parents died, and who was left in the charge of cruel relatives who forbade him to drink the water they had collected
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