"Americans are captivated by koalas," said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Jamie Rappaport Clark. "However, because our familiarity comes from television, magazines, and zoos, most of us have never seen wild koalas and would be surprised to learn that, just like many of our own species, their future is in jeopardy because of habitat destruction. By listing koalas as threatened under the ESA, we are able to help educate the public about the need for conservation efforts to protect these enchanting animals and their habitat.
Listing a foreign animal or plant under the ESA raises public awareness of the species plight and of the need for conservation measures. It also prohibits U.S. import, export, and interstate or foreign commerce by anyone subject to U.S. law except under permits issued in advance by the Service. In addition, the United States will cooperate with Australia in conservation programs for koalas.
The koala is a marsupial, more closely related to kangaroos and opossums than to true bears. The species is totally dependent for food and shelter on certain kinds of eucalyptus trees found in the forests and woodlands of the Australian states of central and eastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Victoria, and southeastern South Australia. Beloved worldwide because of its cuddly appearance, the koala was first put at risk due to intensive hunting for its fur.
By the 1930s, in response to global protests, Australia took steps to prohibit direct killing. Conservation programs by Australian government agencies have since contributed to the species recovery in some areas with populations estimated to range from 40,000 to 400,000. Today, however, human encroachment and ensuing changes in the koalas habitat, are responsible for population declines.
Today, nearly two-thirds of the eucalyptus forest and woodland ecosystem on which the mammal depends has already been lost. The rest is rapidly disappearing due to logging, agriculture, and urbanization.
Under the ESA, the Service may issue permits involving endangered or threatened wildlife for scientific purposes, to enhance breeding or survival, or for incidental take in connection with otherwise lawful activities. For threatened species, the Service may issue permits for zoological exhibition, educational purposes, or special purposes consistent with the Act. Currently 10 U.S. zoos have koalas.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Services manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System of more than 520 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fish and wildlife management assistance offices, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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