While on Magnetic Island this was the most koalas I have ever seen in the wild!
On one walk (the fort hike) we saw 7 different koalas during the walk.
Some where high in the trees sleeping,
others were climbing and eating leaves,
And a mother and baby were at head height sleeping in a fork in a tree on the walk trail.
This colony of koalas were introduced to the island in 1930s.
20 koalas where introduced as a conservation effort, while the fur traders were shooting on the mainland.
Thier water proof pelts were saught after by the coat, glove and hat industries.
A conservation-led, public backlash against the open season on koalas declared in Queensland on the 1st of August 1927 toppled the government two years later.
Unfortunately an estimated two million koalas were killed for their pelts in Queensland and 8 million Australian wide.
Koala population were decimated and left on the brink of extinction.
The koalas on the mainland still live with severe stress often leading to fatal disease. On going habitat loss pushes them furtur into urban areas in search of food, where they can be hit by cars or attacked by cats or dogs.
Magnetic Island proved to be a remarkable island ark as a refuge for these cute furry guys.
Life is good here for the estimated population of 800 koalas. They live relatively stress free and disease free lives.
They have plenty of thier favourite food trees, the ironbark and popular gums.
National Park protection and fire management invigorate the eucalypt woodlands which makes for a happy home for the koalas.
Koalas know how to beat the heat in Queensland conditions. They find shade and rest, draped over a branch or at the base of a tree.
The island koalas are smaller then those on the mainland. The population has space here for larger territorial ranges, good for low density living.
But they need to roam further to find a mate and for food.
So Magnetic Island is the perfect location for this koala population to thrive.
Koalas sleep 18 to 22 hour of the day so they are not very active. There is a myth that they get high from the eucalypt leaves, but this is untrue even though they look like they are always high 馃槀馃槀
Its always a good day when you see a Koala on a hike馃槉馃惃馃惃馃惃馃惃馃惃
