Koala vs. Climate Change
Climate Change: 1 Koalas: 0
Climate Change is Real: The Science Behind it
CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL!! MELTING ICE CAPS, HIGHER OCEAN LEVELS, HOTTER SUMMERS, ALL CAUSED BY GLOBAL WARMING! Greenhouse gases are caused by the human activities using co2, as well has methane gas being released from industrial, agricultural and waste activities. The natural greenhouse gases are good, they make life on earth possible, the human enhanced greenhouse gases are not good. The atmosphere warms the earth, this process is called the Greenhouse effect. Over the past 130 years or so the earths temperature has risen 14 degrees.Climate change is a problem, and it effects human, plants and animals. http://climate.nasa.gov/
Climate Change Effects
Global warming is effecting many and all things. From ice blocks melting in the arctic to heavy heat waves all over the world. (http://climate.nasa.gov/effects/). Intense drought in many countries is also a problem. Some species and places effected by climate change include Dolphins, African Elephants, the coral triangle, the arctic and the Amazon. (http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change).
Koalas vs. Climate Change
Koalas face many difficulties with climate change. Increasing levels of CO2 will reduce the nutritional content of the Eucalyptus leaves, the food the Koala eats, which will cause shortages of nutrients for them. Increased intensity pr amount of droughts can force Koalas to climb down from their trees to look for water or new habitats. This makes them very vulnerable to wild predators, as well as to road traffic, increasing the risk of them dying (https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/fact_sheet_red_list_koala_v2.pdf). Tthe University of Sydney tracked 40 Koalas over the coourse of three years. In 2009 a huge heat wave killed over a quarter of the Koalas they have been tracking (http://www.globalanimal.org/2013/10/03/climate-change-steals-koalas-shade/). Over all, climate change is passive aggressively killing off Koalas.
Koalas: the Real Life Teddy Bear
Koalas are from Australia, they live in Eucalyptus forests and are 2-3 feet long (http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/mammals/koala). Koalas are a member of the "Pouched animal" family called marsupials, just like the Kangaroo. They usally live 10-15 years, they mature at age 2/3 and they are about a half to a whole gram when born (http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/koala). Yet the Koalas population is decreasing. There are less than 100,000 koalas and their status is vulnerable (http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/koala.html).