Koalas are using rapid genetic adaptation to survive their own population crashes
Koalas in southern Australia are undergoing rapid genetic changes to overcome the harmful effects of severe inbreeding and population bottlenecks caused by historical hunting and habitat loss.
Recent genomic studies show that koala populations are evolving at a surprising speed to survive extreme genetic isolation. After being hunted almost to extinction in the early 20th century, small groups of survivors were relocated to several Australian islands.
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