Kangaroo Island, a popular place for viewing koalas off the coast of South Australia, is suffering from too large a load of the cute, cuddly creatures. The koalas, which were introduced to the island 100 years ago, are breeding out of control and decimating the native eucalyptus trees, their only food source. Naturalists warn that the trees are dying and the koalas could face starvation if not culled, but authorities are afraid to thin the population because of an expected backlash from tourists and animal rights activists. Attempts to control the population through sterilization and moving animals off the island have failed. Still, it is one of the best places to see koalas, and tourists flock there.
