Climate change puts koalas at risk

Canberra, Australia -- An Australian scientist contends global warming is putting the country's koala population at serious risk.

Ian Hume of the University of Sydney said warmer temperatures and increased levels of carbon dioxide are affecting the level of nutrients and "anti-nutrients" on eucalyptus, the main food source of the species, the Australian Academy of Science said in a news release. Anti-nutrients are things that are either toxic or interfere with the digestion of nutrients.

The findings were presented this week at a meeting of the academy.

"If there is a significant rise in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, which we're already seeing, that's going to push the ratio of nutrients to anti-nutrients even lower by increasing the concentration of these carbon-based anti-nutrients," Hume said in a statement. "I'm sure we'll see koalas disappearing from their current range even though we don't see any change in tree species or structure of the forests."

Hume said changes in eucalyptus nutrient content may force koalas to travel in search of more nutrient-rich species, increasing their risk of being hit by vehicles or eaten by predators.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.