Take a look at the picture of this koala.
Her name is Anna, but she is no longer with us.
A few days ago she was attacked by a dog in Wedderburn and despite attempts to save her life Anna died from massive internal injuries.
Renee Faron, the koala coordinator for South West Sydney Wildlife, said Anna was the second koala in two months to be attacked in the same street in Wedderburn.
“Anna came into care about seven months ago after a member of the public found her on the side of a main road in Ruse,’’ Ms Faron said.
“She was young and would have probably just been weaned from mum.
“She came into the care of Sydney Wildlife for some fattening up and strength building at a soft release site. “She was a success story and eventually released herself and went on her merry little way.
“Sadly, on Tuesday I received a call that a koala was attacked by a dog and it turned out to be Anna,’’ Ms Faron said.
“She was alive when I got there, but passed away as the vets were working on her.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Dog attacks on koalas are nearly always fatal.’’[/social_quote]
Ms Faron said that local residents who lived in or near koala habitats should lock up their dogs at night and investigate any barking and disturbance.
Anyone who’d like to look up tips for responsible pet ownership with regard to koalas can do so by visiting the save the koala website.
♦ In related news, a new alliance devoted to the protection and survival of Australia’s remaining koala populations has been launched – on World Habitat Day.
The National Koala Alliance (NKA) aims to ensure the national icon survives and thrives for future generations. It is a non-profit network of koala conservation, welfare, advocacy and research groups working in habitat conservation, political lobbying and the protection of individual koalas.
The NKA grew out of the first National Koala Conference in 2013, where many koala experts came together and identified a need to join forces to save this unique animal.
NKA coordinator Greg Johnstone said the situation facing koalas is so critical; a national approach to their conservation is now needed.
“The koala has an intrinsic value to our ecosystems, our economy and to us as a nation that is irreplaceable,” Mr Johstone said.
“Koalas are an important flagship species. If koalas are dying, it indicates that other species are in trouble too.
“Approximately 50 percent of threatened native animal species in Australia occur within the koala’s natural distribution.
“The NKA’s goal is to ensure the koala’s survival with a strong, united and cohesive voice for koala conservation and protection.”
Current focus for the NKA in NSW is on habitation destruction, especially protecting a nationally significant population of around 200 koalas at risk of extinction due to the planned Pacific Highway upgrade.
According to Josey Sharrad, Native Wildlife Campaigner at IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) and founding NKA member, “We believe that without urgent, united action, one by one, koala populations will suffer local extinctions until we’ve lost them all. That would be both a national shame and an international embarrassment.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Australia without koalas is unthinkable.”[/social_quote]
Sadly it is only going to get worse, with more Development.