9781742373232
Stephen Jackson
2010
Paperback
337 pages
12.7cm x 19.8cm
Adored for its large fluffy ears, spoon shaped nose and bright button eyes, the koala is universally recognised and revered as an Australian icon. But it hasn't always been so. After coexisting successfully with Aborigines for tens of thousands of years, the koala was considered sloth like by the early Europeans and valued for little more than its fur, and by the early 20th century millions of koalas had been hunted, driving the species to near extinction. Yet the koala is also one of the most well adapted and resilient of Australia's marsupials, described by some as a triumph of evolution. In this fascinating story of the koala, respected biologist and author Stephen Jackson examines not only the ecology, behaviour and history of this extraordinary animal, but also ongoing threats such as disease and habitat loss, and the controversial debate about how to best manage the remaining populations of Australia's favourite marsupial.
Stephen Jackson has more than 20 years experience as a field biologist, zookeeper, and wildlife park curator, and has worked extensively with koalas in captivity.
