Chapter

Part 1

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The koala is so universally popular that it has become a kind of symbol for the country of Australia, as well as being a very well -known and loved animal around the world. But what is it about koalas that attract so many people, both young and old? The main factor seems to be the fact that koalas are just so incredibly cute. They're nice and furry and cuddly, says one koala lover visiting a koala exhibit. They look like toys, says another tourist from abroad. It's certainly easy to agree with these opinions when one looks at the furry grey animals sitting on tree branches, slowly eating eucalyptus leaves. The animals appear to be unbelievably relaxed and usually spend most of their time sleeping in order to conserve their energy. When Europeans first saw koalas, they thought they resembled bears, and some actually believed they were bears. However, these small creatures are not a species of bear, but rather a type of mammal called a marsupial, and have stomach pockets in which mothers carry their young. Bear or not, the koala is truly one of the world's favourite animals. Another visitor to the koala exhibit sums it up best when he says, I would be hard put to find another mammal that is so recognisable internationally and so beloved. Unfortunately, while koalas may be cute and well -liked, love alone, the experts say, may not be enough to ensure the koala's future.

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Quiz · choose one option per question

Choose the correct answer.

1.Which best explains why koalas are so popular with people around the world?

They are quiet, solitary animals that avoid people.Their appearance and behaviour make them seem cute and cuddly to many people.They are dangerous and exciting animals to watch in the wild.

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Speaking · record your answer

What do you think makes an animal 'cute' or appealing to people? Do you agree that koalas deserve to be so popular, or do you think other animals deserve more attention?

Choose how long you'd like to speak (about 1 min is a good length).

Part 2

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Deborah Tabart is the Executive Director for the Australian Koala Foundation and is also an expert on koalas. According to Tabart, the koala's survival prospects are not looking very good. I can tell you that I believe the koala's future in this country is bleak, very bleak, she says. The noise of the heavy machines clearing the forests on a local building site seems to reinforce Tabart's prediction. The development of natural areas in order to make residential and industrial buildings is big business in Australia and around the world. The eucalyptus forests that have always been home to koalas are being increasingly claimed and cleared for housing, farms and roads. This means that the koalas habitat in eastern Australia is being radically reduced in some areas. Some would even say decimated. The price of progress for human beings seems to be the koalas habitat. According to Tabart, each tree that is lost or cut down adds more pressure to the already vulnerable state of these animals. Australia has only been settled by people of European background for less than 225 years, but in that time an enormous amount of damage has been done to the natural habitat of these animals. As she walks into a eucalyptus forest, Tabart explains, Well this is exactly the sort of habitat that used to be all over Australia. This is prime koalas habitat and in the last 200 years since we've been here, we've cleared about 80 % of this.

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Quiz · choose one option per question

Choose the correct answer.

1.According to the expert, what is the primary human activity threatening koala survival?

The introduction of new predators and diseases.Climate change causing eucalyptus trees to die.The clearing and development of eucalyptus forests for housing and roads.

Part 3

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It seems, then, that a huge percentage of koala habitat has been eliminated, but that's not the sole difficulty facing the cuddly, furry mammal. The other issue is that the severely reduced koala habitat that remains is not adequately protected by national legislation. While there are some laws protecting koalas, Tabart would say those laws don't do enough. 80 % of the koalas in Australia now live on private land, she says. So there is absolutely nothing that says that you and I just really can't cut those trees down. The Australian Koala Foundation is responding to this problem by advocating for a National Koala Act. The Act, which will effectively protect the remaining eucalyptus forests by law, includes incentives for private landowners to help save the koala. Some consider changes to the legal infrastructure such as this to be the way of the future. It may virtually be the only way that one can ensure the survival of some of the world's threatened and endangered species.

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Quiz · choose one option per question

Choose the correct answer.

1.What policy solution does the Australian Koala Foundation advocate to protect koalas?

A National Koala Act to legally protect eucalyptus habitats and encourage private landowner participation.A program to move all koalas into zoos and sanctuaries.A ban on all tourism in koala areas.

English for R&Dcourse

English for R&Dcourse

English for R&Dcourse

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