By Arianna Kaplan
The extreme heat of 2026 threatens one of Australia’s most loved faces—the koala.
A koala sleeping in a eucalyptus tree, Australia. Sean P. Twomey. Pexels.
While the United States shivered its way through extreme cold, January 2026 brought extreme heat to Australia as it underwent its summer season. The heat was uncomfortable not only for the human population, but also for one of Australia’s most famous faces: the koala.
Koalas are tree-dwelling marsupials native to Australia that subsist on a diet of eucalyptus leaves, which they rely on for both nutrition and hydration. Koalas are especially vulnerable to heat, and as Australia experienced its fourth-warmest January since 1910, the koala population is under attack. Australia’s upcoming 2027 summer is no exception, with predicted record-high temperatures due to climate change.
According to Prof. Mark Kockenberger of the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, koalas are able to manage their core body temperatures during short-term heat events, but drought and extended periods of extreme temperatures are deadly for the animals. As temperatures have risen, the koala population has declined among those counted in New South Wales, Australia, becoming a token example of an animal population directly harmed as a result of the climate crisis. Rising temperatures cause limited rainfall during Australia's wet season due to El Nino, and this combination leads to habitat loss due to bushfires and heatstroke due to heatwaves. No habitats means no koalas, and it’s hard to imagine Australia without its emblematic animals.
El Nino and La Nina are opposite phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, a natural climate cycle characterized by fluctuating ocean temperatures and winds in the Pacific. El Nino acts as a “global furnace,” while La Nina has a cooling influence on global temperatures. Currently, the period from 2026 to 2030 is predicted to be the hottest period on record. In early June of 2026, residents of New South Wales received an update that an El Nino event was officially confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology, warning that Australia could see hotter, drier conditions. This is bad news for the koalas, as for the rest of the population. High temperatures don’t just bring habitat loss, but also disruptions in agricultural production and local economies. South Australia saw the hottest temperatures of January 2026, reaching 49.7 degrees Celsius, or 121.5 degrees Fahrenheit, where the heat, combined with strong winds and dry conditions, spurred bushfires across Victoria, destroying hundreds of structures and killing tens of thousands of livestock.
Climate change is more than an issue of uncomfortable heat for humans; it is a threat to entire ecosystems and industries. Without action to combat climate change and efforts to protect animal populations where and when we can, climate change risks erasing an entire beloved species.
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Read more about how to combat the climate crisis in Australia on the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website. A detailed National Adaptation Plan, current as of September 2025, can also be found on the government’s website. If you live in an area with affected koalas or other animals at risk during the summer months, read this article about how to construct a backyard safe haven for koalas and what to do if you find an injured or heat-stricken one near you. In this online koala tracker, you can search a database of koalas, view sightings and report injured koalas.
Arianna Kaplan
Arianna is in her final year at Scripps College, part of The Claremont Colleges in the Los Angeles area. She writes in a variety of genres but most enjoys creative nonfiction and place-rooted narrative. Arianna currently resides in New York, where she won’t rest until she’s walked down every street and peeked into every alley. Writing at Catalyst, along with The Student Life Newspaper and The {C} Magazine, offers a perfect outlet for her zest for life and discovery, and she’s beyond excited to be here. In the future, she plans on pursuing a career in journalism.