Koalas and penguins at risk of extinction

CLIMATE change threatens the survival of dozens of animal species, from the emperor penguin to Australian koalas, according to a report released at the UN climate summit.

Rising sea levels, ocean acidification and shrinking polar ice are taking a heavy toll on species already struggling to cope with pollution and shrinking habitats, said the study from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an intergovernmental group.

“Humans are not the only ones whose fate is at stake here in Copenhagen – some of our favourite species are also taking the fall for our CO2 emissions,” said Wendy Foden, an IUCN researcher and co-author of the study.