Save The Koala Day – September 30, 2022, history significance why we celebrate
Save The Koala Day is celebrated on September 30 every year. It is a part of the Save The Koala Month celebrations organized by the Australian Koala Foundation. The objective of these celebrations is simple — to save the koalas and their natural habitats, and raise awareness to prevent them from going extinct.
Koalas are an important part of Australian wildlife. However, today they face the danger of disappearing due to human activities and the climate crisis. You can do your part to prevent the unthinkable from happening by raising funds and donating to organizations that are committed to caring for the koala population.
History of Save the Koala Day
Started by the Australian Koala Foundation, Save the Koala Day is part of a bigger celebration which takes place during all of September, which is Save the Koala Month. As the habitat koalas live in is getting destroyed through deforestation, koalas are in need of help.
Save the Koala Day was begun as a time to raise awareness about the fact that koalas are at risk and have even been placed on the endangered species list. The future of these lovable, cuddly creatures that are native to Australia is in peril if the humans do not work together to help save them.
Gather some friends, family members or coworkers and make a commitment to helping through Save the Koala Day!
SAVE THE KOALA DAY TIMELINE
25 Million Years Ago
The First Koalas
Koalas evolve in the forests of Australia.
1788
The European Settlement
Urbanization and deforestation leave koalas homeless and without food.
1800s–1920s
Koalas are Hunted
Koalas are hunted for their fur.
1937
Protected Species
The koala is made a Protected Species in all Australian states.
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5 FACTS ABOUT KOALAS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
They aren’t bears
Koalas are marsupials, which means that they carry their babies in a pouch.
They are fussy eaters
Koalas eat less than 50 of over 700 eucalyptus species found in Australia.
They love to sleep
A koala may sleep for up to 18 hours a day.
Koalas have fingerprints
Apart from primates, koalas are the only animals with fingerprints.
Koalas are loners
Koalas like to live by themselves and they respect each other’s boundaries
How to Celebrate Save the Koala Day
Humans who care can use this day have a great opportunity to enjoy the cuteness of koalas while raising awareness and helping with their plight. Try out some of these ideas to celebrate and enjoy Save the Koala Day:
Make a Donation to Save the Koalas
One of the most important ways that the average person can help with Save the Koala Day is to make a financial donation to an organization that works to help keep these furry little animals protected.
Donations can be made to one of these charitable organizations that help to protect koalas:
- Australian Koala Foundation. This organization has been functioning since 1986 and they work toward protecting the environment, creating maps for koala habitats and more.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Established in 1961, WWF helps treat injured koalas, rehabilitate them, return them to the wild, replant trees and help build better habitats for them.
- Koala Hospital. Part of the Koala Conservation Australia charity, the Koala Hospital helps support the life-saving work to protect and care for koalas and their habitats..
Learn More About Koalas
Save the Koala Day is a great time to gather fun facts and bits of trivia about koalas that can be shared in order to raise awareness about the need to help the koalas. Enjoy some of these fun facts:
Koalas are big eaters
These little furry friends can eat up to a kilogram a day of eucalyptus, which is a low energy diet. But they’ll only choose from 50 of about 700 different species of the eucalyptus plant.
Koalas are sleepy little guys
As nocturnal animals that need more sleep than most, koalas can sleep up to 18 hours per day. They wake during the night to forage for food.
Koalas are marsupials
Though they have been called the misnomer “koala bears”, these creatures are actually marsupials, in the same family as kangaroos and wombats.
Baby koalas are called joeys
Just like kangaroos, new koalas are referred to as joeys, as are opossums and wallabies.
