Devastating Smelter Run-Off Kills More Than 150 Koalas

June 4, 2024 Malorie Thompson

Koala populations have been declining for years, but the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfire season really took its toll on the species.

The IUCN lists koalas as vulnerable, but the government of Australia has officially listed koalas as an endangered species.

Photo: Pexels/Janik Butz

After suffering from habitat loss and climate change among other things, conservationists are fighting hard to bring koala populations back from the brink.

Unfortunately, more than 150 koalas were recently killed by devastating smelter run-off from a U.S. company.

According to Yahoo! News, the Pittsburgh-based aluminum company, Alcoa, euthanized 152 koalas after finding them in bad health.

Photo: Pexels/Ethan Brooke

Yahoo! News reports that the koalas were killed after Alcoa performed a health assessment on koalas in the area.

"Alcoa concluded the high fluoride levels from its operations are safe for humans, but they could harm koalas. It acknowledged the potential impacts of fluorosis on wildlife around the site, a disease that causes malnutrition as well as skeletal and dental abnormalities," Yahoo! News explains.

The koalas assessed by Alcoa were, indeed, found to be suffering from malnutrition and overpopulation among other things. To address the situation, the company intentionally killed 152 koalas and relocated over 100 more.

Photo: Pexels/Pascal Borener

According to Yahoo! News, Anthony Amis of Friends of the Earth has been studying koalas around Alocoa for years, and he says the situation highlights the "desperate situation" that koalas are facing and have been facing for years. He said, "To have 152 Animals euthanized at one site has got to be some sort of almost an Australian record for a company."

Amis and other conservationists and animal rights activists note that Alcoa should've acted much sooner to address the koala population in the smelter zone. Many believe the government should also be held responsible for not enforcing stronger regulations.

Malorie Thompson

Malorie works as a writer and editor in Northern California. She's passionate about food, conscious living, animal welfare, and conservation. She's worked with a variety of publications in different sectors but is happiest covering topics close to her heart. When not at her laptop, Malorie can be found enjoying picnics on the beach, hiking in the redwoods, and spending time with her rescue pup, Jax.

Country/region

Help Animals That Need Medical Care

Unique Quality Products

From exclusive pet-loving designs to hand-crafted artisan goods, our products are hand-picked for their superior quality and unique features.

Exceptional Value

We believe that shopping for good should be affordable and accessible to everyone, which is why we offer fair pricing and daily deals.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

With 20 years of extraordinary customer service and a stellar 4.8 ⭐ average rating, we stand by our process and your guaranteed satisfaction.

Every Purchase Gives Back

Every single purchase helps fund today’s most relevant and impactful causes so you can contribute to the causes you care about most, supporting people, pets, and the planet.

Join the Movement

Connect with millions of animal lovers and humanitarians that make up the GreaterGood community, and discover the power of collective impact. Together, we’ve raised over $80 million for charity and counting!