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4w ago

Sustained Seven‑Day Heat Above 27°C Raises Koala Admissions and Deaths, Study Shows

Researchers say targeted water, shade and habitat actions can cut dehydration and mortality as warming makes heat spells more frequent.

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Researchers found the odds of adult koalas being admitted into care or dying in the Australian state of NSW rose when average maximum temperatures over a 7-day period reached 27C
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Overview

  • The peer‑reviewed study published May 26, 2026 analysed 11,862 koala hospital and rescue records from New South Wales from 2000–2022 and matched them to local weather data.
  • Researchers found admissions and deaths rose when seven‑day average maximum temperatures reached about 27°C and that risk was up to 3.5 times higher at a seven‑day average of 30°C compared with 25°C.
  • Koalas cool by panting, get most moisture from eucalyptus leaves and have little body fat, which makes them prone to rapid dehydration and appetite loss during sustained heat.
  • Inland north‑west NSW populations face the highest exposure and risk, and researchers report some local groups, including in Gunnedah, are now functionally extinct.
  • Authors recommend immediate steps such as providing water stations, protecting or planting shade trees and establishing more nutritious eucalypts to reduce short‑term deaths, while warning long‑term climate warming will increase those risks.