Another major risk has been deforestation. People clear large areas of forest land to build homes or grow crops. This has led to the loss of habitat for native species, particularly the koala (an animal that is native to Australia) whose diet comprises mainly of eucalyptus. Finally, with high temperatures and a dry environment presents the risk of bushfires. While the trees seem to have adapted well to fire, the growing intensity and frequency of forest fires due to climate change represents a major risk. These risks are a constant worry for conservationists as eucalypts are at the center of a large ecosystem of plants and creatures.
