Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) believed there are no more than 80,000 koalas left in Australia, which makes them “virtually or functionally extinct.”
In a press release, AKF shared that they have monitored 128 federal electorates since 2019 that fall within the range of koalas. A decade later, 41 of those show no sign of koalas.
Deborah Tabart, chairman of the Australian Koala Foundation, urged the Australian government to contribute to the survival of the species.
“I know the Australian public are concerned for the safety of koalas and are tired of seeing dead koalas on our roads. It is time for the government to respect the koala and protect its habitat,” Tabart said in a statement.
She added that Prime Minister Scott Morrison should already make a move and enact the Koala Protection Act, which would work with both the Federal Endangered Species Act and the Environment Protection Authority to protect the animals.
Koalas’ population continues to rapidly decrease due to deforestation, disease, and effects of climate change, especially the ravaging bushfires that currently devastates large parts of the country.
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– Steve Irwin’s family rescues more than 90,000 animals from Australia wildfires
