Koalas now listed as an endangered species in two Australian states

Australia officially classified koalas as endangered along much of its east coast on Friday, as prolonged droughts, bushfires, and deforestation have severely impacted their habitats.

Experts have long warned that the beloved Australian marsupial could face extinction without urgent government action to protect both the koalas and their environment.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley commented, 'This new designation underscores the immense challenges faced by the species. We must all work together to secure a bright future for the koala, and this decision is an important step in that direction.'

Minister Ley confirmed that koalas in New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory will now be officially listed as endangered, upgrading their previous classification as vulnerable.

Over the past three years, Australia has lost approximately 30% of its koala population, according to the Australian Koala Foundation. The population has dwindled from over 80,000 in 2018 to fewer than 58,000, with the steepest decline in New South Wales, where numbers have fallen by 41%.

A study by the World Wide Fund for Nature estimated that the bushfires of late 2019 and early 2020 killed or injured over 60,000 koalas, as the fires ravaged more than 17 million hectares (65,630 square miles)—an area nearly half the size of Germany.

Even before the devastating fires, koala populations were rapidly declining due to land clearing for agriculture, urbanization, mining, and logging. Koalas are mainly found in eucalypt forests along the eastern states and coastal areas.

While environmental groups celebrated the new decision, they expressed disappointment that it took so long to make it.

Josey Sharrad, Manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, stated, 'We should never have let it come to this point where a national icon is at risk of extinction.'

'If we fail to protect an iconic species that is native to Australia, what hope do we have for other, lesser-known species that are just as vital?'