AAP -- Koalas are highly vulnerable to climate change and face starvation, a leading conservation group has warned.
The koala - an Australian icon known the world over - has made it on to a global list of 10 well-known species threatened by climate change, along with the fish that inspired the cartoon character, Nemo.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says higher levels of carbon dioxide in the air mean there is less nutritional value in gum leaves, the koala's food of choice.
"Australia's iconic koala faces malnutrition and ultimate starvation as the nutritional quality of eucalyptus leaves declines as CO2 levels increase," the IUCN warned as it released its list at the Copenhagen climate summit on Monday.
Conservationists don't like more CO2 in the air but plants do - they need CO2 to grow, so tend to grow faster when there's more of it around. The problem is that fast-growing gum leaves contain less protein and more tannin, so koalas have to eat more to survive.
The IUCN says koalas already eat up to 500 grams of leaves a day and their guts may not be able to hold much more.
Climate change may also mean more droughts and bushfires in Australia, which would force slow-moving koalas to leave their trees in search of water and safety.
"This makes them particularly vulnerable to wild and domestic predators, as well as to road traffic, often resulting in death," the IUCN report said.
It also warned koalas' cuddly fur coats were not ideal for a warming world.
"They do not cope well with extreme heat." …
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