Koalas, which spend most of their lives high up in eucalyptus trees, usually die while on the ground, often mauled by dogs or hit by cars. More striking, a new study reveals that the amount of time they spend on the ground is only around 10 minutes a day.
The finding, researchers say, underscores the urgent need to protect woodlands, which are becoming increasingly fragmented, forcing koalas to descend to the forest floor to make their way from tree to tree.
For the study, researchers looked at wild koalas on a landscape that had largely been cleared for farming. They outfitted the animals with GPS trackers and accelerometers that indicated when koalas were walking, climbing, or resting.
“What surprised us was how infrequently and briefly they use the ground — just two to three times per night, averaging around 10 minutes in total,” said Gabriella Sparkes, a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland. And much of the time on the ground was spent sitting, she said. The research was presented at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference in Antwerp.
Looking ahead, researchers hope to determine how best to keep koalas happily in their trees. That may mean protecting certain tree species, or prioritizing dense forest cover. Said Sparkes, “If we can identify the kinds of trees or habitat conditions that encourage koalas to remain in trees for longer, we may be able to design or manage landscapes in ways that reduce the need for ground travel.”
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