Koalas Are Now an Endangered Species—How Did This Happen?

This is actually devastating 🐨💔

It’s official—the Australian government has listed the koala as an endangered species.

It seems surreal, given how iconic the furry creature is as a national symbol of our country. But sadly, due to widespread land clearing and devastating bushfires, their habitats are shrinking at an alarming rate.

The environment minister, Sussan Ley, confirmed “I am increasing the protection for koalas in NSW, the ACT and QLD, listing them as endangered rather than their previous designation of vulnerable”. This comes off the back of a recommendation from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee.

What does an ‘endangered’ conservation status mean?

Koalas have been listed as “vulnerable” since 2012. According to WWF, that means a species is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

With koalas now moved to the “endangered” status, this means they are considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. The next level up is “critically endangered” … and let’s hope we don’t get there.

The good thing about this is the endangered listing will provide additional protection for koalas. It recognises their demise is more urgent and will allow conservation developments to be assessed quicker.

What is causing the endangerment of koalas?

There’s a whole mix of factors which have contributed to their rapid decline over the years.

Sussan Ley cited the impact of “prolonged drought, followed by the black summer bushfires, and the cumulative impacts of disease, urbanisation and habitat loss over the past twenty years”.

However, it’s just as much about the lack of active efforts to protect the marsupials.

How long have koalas been in danger?

Environmental groups, inquiries and researchers have recognised the danger for years.

A NSW parliamentary inquiry in 2020 found the species would be extinct in the state by 2050 unless governments took urgent action.

And despite national environmental laws identifying a recovery plan should have been in place for koalas for the past 10 years, no Australian government in that time has developed one.

Since then, the Humane Society International, WWF-Australia and the International Fund for Animal Welfare have nominated that koalas be listed as endangered.

How are koalas going to be protected?

Last month, the Morrison government announced it would allocate $50m to help our furry friends.

Any funding is obviously welcomed, but environment groups have described it as a “drop in the ocean”, instead calling for concrete conservation plans.

Sussan Ley has now said the government plans to adopt that long-overdue national recovery plan, and WWF-Australia’s chief executive is hopeful.

“There is still time to save this globally iconic species if the uplisting serves as a turning point in koala conservation. We need stronger laws and landholder incentives to protect their forest homes,” Dermot O’Gorman told The Guardian.

These tree-hugging creatures urgently need some hugs of their own, right now. 😢

Header image: Canva.