Bush Fires Highlight Need to Protect All Koala Habitat

If we are serious about protecting our koala population, the recent bush fires on the Island highlight the need for all koala habitat and potential habitat to be protected and preserved.  The reason is simple.  If there is an extensive bush fire which burns down koala habitat,  koalas which escape the fire obviously need alternative habitat which they may not currently occupy.

We know that koala habitat is being destroyed on a daily basis at the island’s sand mines.  The company’s own documents reveal this.  A few months ago we sent members the references in the company’s environmental reports which establishes this. In other words, this comes “from the horse’s own mouth”.

But Sibelco is doing its best to focus attention on the so-called ‘urban koala’ and on koalas temporarily occupying revegetated mined areas. Its motive is obvious. It wants the focus away from what is occurring on its active mining leases. While FOSI of course is concerned about the welfare of koalas in the urban areas of the Island (ever wondered why there appear to be more of these ‘urban’ koalas?) we are more concerned about the bigger picture taking place out of sight but not out of mind – the destruction of large areas of habitat for sand mining. We are also concerned about the hidden deaths occurring ‘behind closed doors’ on the mining leases – from vehicle strike on the private mining company roads and from wild dog attacks. ^