The koala is a much-loved species and lucrative tourism drawcard. Yet, for all its popularity, koalas are forecast to be extinct in NSW within 30 years.
Understanding the koala-human relationship might go some way to saving the species. My research examined the dynamic by tracing the representation of koalas in natural history books, children’s stories, postcards and tourism brochures.
I found that “anthropomorpism” – attributing human qualities to a non-human animal – has helped shift attitudes towards the koala away from the scientific and economic to a more romantic, emotional view. In particular, koalas share physical characteristics with human babies, which further endears them to us.
Why do we love koalas so much? Because they look like human babies menafn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from menafn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Why do we love koalas so much? Because they look like human babies newjerseytelegraph.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newjerseytelegraph.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Why do we love koalas so much? Because they look like human babies orlandoecho.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from orlandoecho.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.