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Save the Koala Bears

OK the Aussie Koala is in fact a 'marsupial' but has been refered to as a 'bear' for years, so we've included him in 'Beards for Bears' because he needs your help... More than 4000 koalas are killed every year through habitat destruction, dogs and road kill. The Koala's habitat is limited to a few areas in Australia. Continual loss of habitat is the main cause of Koalas being close to extinction.

Continuing habitat loss, disease and deficiencies in our knowledge regarding its impact, together with ineffectual government responses are rapidly driving the koala to extinction along Australia's eastern seaboard. No longer is there a question of ‘if’; it is a matter of when and how fast.

May 22, 2009, Friends of the Koala inc. have a issues-based action plan being developed to take to all levels of government and to the community, but as past reactions from government departments have shown, the fight to protect the Koalas habitats to date have been a constant losing battle.

Here are 2 prime examples of Australian government leaders ignorance towards care and concerns:

Koala habitat destruction angers Nicklin MP

12:00a.m. 17th July 2008. By Peter Gardiner

Koala habitat destruction angers Nicklan MP

Queensland premier Anna Bligh will be asked to stop the logging in Cooroy State Forest over concerns that koalas are in peril.

The Member for Nicklin Peter Wellington is leading a public outcry over the harvesting of gum trees in a 15 hectare parcel of land in the West Cooroy section.

“Here we have the State Government approving the destruction of the koala habitat ... in other words killing koalas, while at the same time the Federal Government tries to find the best ways to protect them,” Mr Wellington said.

Mr Wellington said the Federal Government was calling community consultation on its koala conservation strategy even as the logging contractor’s had moved in this week.

“This is unbelievable ... I would have thought the government had learned its lesson about the koalas after they lost the unlosable Goss election more than a decade ago.”

Mr Wellington had called for a halt to clearing while an investigation was carried out, but yesterday the weather intervened with the rain putting a stop to the chain saws for a likely couple of days.

The government has told the MP that the forestry agreement reached 10 years ago allowed for loggers to go back into West Cooroy after a decade.

Wednesday June 17, 2009

GROUP SLAMS QLD OVER KOALA NUMBERS
An alarming drop in the koala population in southeast Queensland could mean they will be extinct in the region by next year.

Wildlife Queensland has accused the state government of making the situation worse.

The Queensland government census in the Koala Coast region of Redland, Brisbane and Logan cities found there were 6,250 koalas in 1999, 4,600 in 2006, and fewer than 2,300 in 2008, says Wildlife Queensland spokesman Des Boyland.

A letter from the organisation to Minister for Sustainability Kate Jones accused state agencies of doing nothing or even contributing to the unnecessary destruction of koala habitat.

Mr Boyland said there was no lack of research, just a lack of action.

“Wildlife Queensland is extremely disappointed with the lack of commitment by the state government to koala conservation in the region,” he said.

Hoped-for budget spending this week had not been forthcoming.

Wildlife Queensland has asked the minister to explain why the Queensland government has not only allowed clearing of koala habitat in koala conservation areas, but has engaged in activities that destroyed habitat.

“Contrary to the state government's promise in 2007 not to sell government land supporting koala habitat, the Education Department even sold a parcel of land containing important koala habitat in Cleveland to a private organisation,” Mr Boyland said.

"Queensland Rail cleared significant mature koala food trees in Ormiston, a koala hot-spot but threatened by urban encroachment."

Comment is being sought from Ms Jones.

For more information please visit Save the Koala and Friends of the Koala inc..

It's time for all of Australia and his overseas mates to speak up for our unique little mate and Aussie icon, the Koala Bear. Koala habitat needs to be protected before they dissapear forever from the wild. Koalas need your help NOW!

It's time to show off the animal in you... and your love for them too.

For 'facts' sake, you with us or what!