ACT NOW TO SAVE THESE AT-RISK MARSUPIALS

WHY did the koala cross the road? To find food or a mate. The small creature in our photos today trying to reach the other side of the Gold Coast Highway at Burleigh certainly wasn’t intending to play chicken.

Such images reinforce the point our city cannot afford to wait years for animal bridges or underpasses to be included in road changes to accommodate light rail over Burleigh Hill.

There used to be signs there, warning motorists that koalas cross at night. But the little fellow in the photos risked his or her neck in broad daylight about 4pm Wednesday. The signs themselves were a tourist attraction, evidence cuddly marsupials still lived in the area. More signs are needed and they should be prominent.

There might be a public outcry today for action to protect that population of koalas, but what about next week? People forget. Indifference is killing our iconic wildlife.

To see the photographs, taken by a good samaritan cyclist who stopped to ensure the koala made it safely into the trees, should fill all our hearts with hope that the species survives in the precious bushland along the creeks and ridges and in the rainforest on Burleigh Headland. But the circumstances should also fill us with dread. Just like the blackened creatures photographed accepting water from fireys as their forest homes were destroyed by bushfires, this little animal at Burleigh is similarly in great peril.

With tens of thousands of vehicles using that road each day – a scenario played out on myriad roads within our city’s boundaries – it is a miracle more koalas are not dying. Rescue organisations such as the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital are dealing with large numbers of injured animals each week, brought in for emergency care after being hit by cars or attacked by dogs.

To its credit, the council is acquiring parcels of land to koala habitat.

But more needs to happen – at all levels. A strong economic argument exists for protecting koalas. They are a huge drawcard overseas and when the COVID pandemic has played out, they will be again. Celebrities who have lined up to be photographed with them include Oprah Winfrey, Andy Murray and Serena Williams, and even world leaders like former US president Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Environmental economist Tor Hundloe led research more than 20 years ago into the worth of the koala to tourism and the national economy.

At the time the study found the creatures generated $1 billion a year. He has since estimated they could be worth double that. In purely economic terms, that is huge incentive to act.