Koalas under threat
Wildlife warriors are fighting to save dozens of koalas from starvation after their habitat was bulldozed on Brisbane's northside.
The animals could die unless they are urgently relocated.
At Lawnton Pocket Road, rescuers are checking on the suburb's vulnerable population.
Around 40 koalas lived in what is now a barren landscape.
Vegetation was bulldozed to make way for housing. An estate of almost 500 lots was approved before strict development laws were introduced to protect koalas.
Wanda Grabowski, of Koalas In Care, said: “My heart goes out because we see this all the time, all the time. Everything gone and these poor animals sitting in sticks."
Land clearing is the biggest threat to a koala.
Those who survive losing their food and shelter then battle stress, which makes them more vulnerable to diseases.
Moreton Bay Regional Council is seeking emergency approval to relocate the animals while wildlife officers ‘monitor the situation’.
Anika Lehmann, of the Moreton Bay Koala Rescue, added: “We don't know how long they've got left. It might be a day, it might be a week. They might be falling out of these trees in the next couple of days.”
A sad reality in a region that used to have the most koalas in Australia.
