In an effort to save declining numbers, koalas will now be classified as endangered rather than vulnerable in NSW, Queensland, and the ACT. Because of the drought, fires, and deforestation in Queensland, koala populations were discovered to have at least decreased by half since 2001.
Sussan Ley, the environment minister, will make the announcement on Friday in accordance with the Threatened Species Scientific Committee’s proposal.
“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 have led to the advice”, she said.
Ms. Ley now wants Queensland, NSW, and Victoria to ratify a $50 million, four-year national recovery plan. The federal government is certain that the koala population threats will be brought to light by the species’ endangered classification. Koalas will officially be listed as endangered across Australia as part of an effort to stop them from going extinct.
“We are taking unprecedented action to protect the koala, working with scientists, medical researchers, veterinarians, communities, states, local governments and Traditional Owners”, Ms Ley said.
In NSW, koala numbers have decreased by between 33 and 61% since 2001. The 2019–20 bushfires resulted in at least 6400 fatalities. In the next few years koalas are indeed likely to become extinct if these numbers do not decrease.
A state senate investigation issued a warning about the marsupial’s impending extinction before the middle of the century in 2020.
Because of the drought, fires, and deforestation in Queensland, koala populations were discovered to have at least decreased by half since 2001.
While continuing to battle proposals to reduce the Great Barrier Reef’s UNESCO designation to “in danger,” the federal government has listed the marsupial as endangered.
The government disputes the comparison and claims the reef shouldn’t be singled out because other World Heritage sites are under risk from climate change.
Hopefully the upcoming actions of the government will help to remove the koalas from the endangered list.
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