SAVE THE KOALA

Surely after all these years somebody somewhere would have a plan in place to prevent the extermination of 4000 plus Koalas from the recent bushfires in Victoria.

The Abolitionist speaks with DEBORAH TABART, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Koala Foundation. www.savethekoala.com

Abolitionist: Koala’s are strongly linked with the national Australian image. Portrayed as quintessentially Australian by travel companies in overseas traveling campaigns, koalas helped established Australia as a tourist destination filled with fascinating and attractive wildlife. In a recent study many foreigners said that while watching koalas was unlikely to be the sole reason why they would visit Australia, the whole live koala ‘industry’ in Australia was worth about $336 million per annum and that the contribution that the koala industry made to the Australian tourism industry was about $1.1 billion. How do we protect this lovely Koala-creature better?

Deborah Tabart: Yes, the AKF funded this tourism study and sadly, so many people fail to realise how important the koala is to tourism and to our economy. It could soon be a situation where, "you don't know what you have got till it's gone".

I am continually frustrated with the lack of economic understanding by our leaders, but more importantly our souls would suffer if an animal like the koala was to disappear from our hearts and minds.

Abolitionist: With the recent bush fires in Victoria over 4000 + koala’s perished in the blaze. How can this be prevented from ever happening again?

Deborah Tabart: It is hard to imagine stopping fires, either in Victoria or throughout the rest of Australia. Although how we manage fire is one of the most important problems for the future. My personal view is that the issue of fire in our country is misunderstood and too many myths like "the aboriginals used to burn so it is OK!", runs a lot of the agenda. The fires in Ballarat and Framlingham have caused enormous problems for the koala and our mantra about better land use planning is all that we can say at this stage. If we developed our land a little better and did not fragment habitats, I am confident that the fire problems would be reduced.

Abolitionist: How does your organisation save the koala?

DT: Over the past twenty years our role has changed and I would just suggest that readers visit our website www.savethekoala.com to read about the history of our organisation. It is almost impossible to explain the many ways we step in to protect the koala. Sadly over our twenty year history the koala population has declined, however the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is proud that we continue to be a vehement watchdog for those who seek to destroy habitats. Without this watchdog presence, I fear the koala populations would be in further decline. Australia is a large country and we need eyes and ears everywhere to alert us to the problems facing the koala.

Abolitionist: Does the koala, a native of Australia, have any rights at all? Are farmers allowed to shoot them for example if they are on their land.

DT: The koala has been protected since 1936 and farmers are no longer permitted to shoot them, but you can destroy their habitat with little or no intervention.

Abolitionist: Why is this gentle animal so much maligned?

DT: I don't think the koala is maligned. I think the koala is universally loved - but the trees that maintain them are not given the proper respect they deserve. That is why the koala suffers, because their habitats are continually destroyed, they are forced to go on the move looking for a new home and often then get killed by cars and dogs along the way.

Abolitionist: Is land clearing destroying their homes?

DT: Yes! Habitat destruction is one of the biggest threats facing koalas today. Over 80% of the koalas’ original habitat has already been destroyed, and of what little remains, almost none is protected, most of it being on private land. Please visit our website for a full assessment of what is happening to koala habitat.

Abolitionist: Who can be trusted to speak out for the koala?

DT: That is an interesting question. There are many people around the country who love koalas and I am proud to say that all of them speak out to our Governments when koalas are hurt. Sadly most of the time, the koala doesn't have a voice in the parliaments - and until they do, there are very few governments that I personally trust to protect them. Developers are, in my view running the agenda like a giant juggernaut that is very difficult to stop. Even the beauty of the koala fails to stop it.

Abolitionist: The illegal wildlife trade is a global phenomenon. Is the Koala mixed up in this to your knowledge?

DT: Because koalas are very difficult to keep in captivity - especially with regard to their diet - keeping koalas illegally is very difficult to do.

Abolitionist: Australia has a very poor history of ‘protectionist’ conservation having the highest modern species extinction rate in the world, and the protection of wildlife in national parks, they say, will not necessarily ensure the conservation of the species. Do you agree with that and what has to be done to help the koala?

DT: Because 80% of wild koalas live on private land it is very difficult to give them a prognosis for a bright future. We as land holders will need to make many adjustments to the ways we live on the Australian landscape. Tying up our dogs, driving slowly, planting and more importantly retaining existing trees is a major agenda. It is too easy to say that Governments should fix it. It is up to us to lead by example.

Abolitionist: Is there still a fur trade in Koala skins, say, coming out of the tourist trade? And if so, how can it be stopped?

DT: Luckily the fur trade ended in 1927.

If you would like to support the work of the Australian Koala Foundation please visit www.savethekoala.com or phone 61 7 3229 7233.