Koalas present something of a paradox.
They are a poster child for imminent extinction, at risk from deforestation, climate change and bushfires. Yet, where I live in South Australia, they are so abundant they are in danger of eating themselves out of house and home. How is it that koalas can be simultaneously declared endangered in some areas and yet require population management in others? Despite the complex factors influencing koala populations, the ultimate cause of both problems may well be the same — habitat loss and fragmentation.
