While some wildlife can flee from bush fires or seek protection in burrows, koalas have no defense at all and are usually killed. Growing Populations Despite these substantial threats, many experts agree that rather than worry too much about the declining koala population, the most pressing problem is what to do with the growing numbers in other areas. For example, on the Phillip and French islands in Victoria, there are up to 10 animals to every 2.5 acres. Here, koalas have reached numbers so high that they are literally eating themselves out of house and home. Experts have started a contraception trial in which male koalas will be vasectomized and females will be given hormone implants to stop them from ovulating.
Some experts argue that the plan is impractical and is only a stop-gap measure.
Unfortunately, the fact remains that there is only a finite amount of habitat suitable for koalas. The AKF started a Koala Habitat Atlas which uses sophisticated Geographic Information System technology to identify the tree species and areas of habitat that koalas need to survive. Therefore, in places where koalas no longer occur for historic reasons, the potential exists for them to be restocked in the future. A Fort Worth Zoo employee traveled to Australia last year to participate in a research project which helped gather the data needed to compile this extensive database. Experts agree that there is no single solution for the conservation of the species since the status of koalas in the wild varies greatly.