Hotspots reveal temperature danger zone for koala survival
A recent study has found that koalas are at a higher risk of death when seven-day average temperatures exceed 27 degrees Celsius. The analysis of over 11,000 koala hospital admissions in New South Wales revealed that hospitalizations and fatalities increase significantly during hotter weeks. Researchers are exploring climate refuges and habitat restoration to help koalas adapt to rising temperatures.
- ▪Koalas are more likely to die when the seven-day average maximum temperature exceeds 27 degrees Celsius.
- ▪Hospitalizations or death rates for koalas increase by 1.5 to 3.5 times when temperatures reach 30 degrees Celsius.
- ▪The study analyzed 11,862 koala rescue admissions in NSW from 2000 to 2022.
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Koalas at risk of death once seven-day temperatures rise beyond 27CBy environment reporter Peter de KruijffABC ScienceTopic:Endangered and Protected SpeciesWed 27 May 2026 at 9:01amWed 27 May 2026 at 9:01amWed 27 May 2026 at 9:01amA koala tries to shelter from hot conditions in north-west NSW. (Supplied: University of Sydney)In short:An analysis of 11,862 koala rescue admissions to NSW animal hospitals found the marsupials were more likely to die when the seven-day average maximum temperature was greater than 27 degrees Celsius.Koala hospitalisations or death were 1.5 to 3.5 times more likely during weeks where the average maximum temperature was 30C.What's next?Research continues into potential climate refuges for koalas or ways of restoring habitat to make them resilient to climate…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).