by Stephen House
| Koalas are now considered an endangered species in NSW [New South Wales], Queensland and the ACT [Australian Capital Territory], as numbers plummet due to climate change, land clearing and disease. The Australian icon had previously been rated "vulnerable" under the federal government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, but its status has now been upgraded. —ABC [Australia] News, February 11, 2022. Koalas have lost the equivalent of 10,000 cricket grounds of habitat in the last decade: In the decade since east coast koalas were first listed as vulnerable, the [Australian] federal government has approved the loss of more than 25,000 hectares of habitat, new analysis shows. Approvals were granted for 63 mostly mining projects in Queensland, NSW and the ACT, the Australian Conservation Foundation says. They allowed for the collective loss of habitat equivalent to 526,000 average-sized blocks of residential land, or about 10,400 Sydney Cricket Grounds. —SBS News, February 9, 2022. See also “Morrison government spends $50 million saving koalas while taking away their homes” at The Conversation. |
imagine
your disappearing home
habitat never more
confused distressed
misplaced
reflect
on your unavailable food
territory search in vain
hungry anxious
distraught
ponder
on your paths wiped away
ancient bush tracks missing
lost trapped
confined
grieve
your extended annihilated family
absent once were there
diseased slaughtered
vanished
watch
increasing ongoing destruction
shrink your nature daily
machinery clearing
building
Koala
on your sacred land
we must assist your plight
action demonstrate
save
you
Koala 2022
you Koala
you
Stephen House has won many awards and nominations as a poet, playwright and actor. He’s received international literature residencies from The Australia Council and Asialink. His chapbook real and unreal was published by ICOE Press. His next book is out soon. His poetry is published often, and he performs his acclaimed monologues widely.