Australia has placed the koala on the endangered list for most of its east coast following a dramatic decline in the species’ numbers.
The once-thriving marsupial’s presence has been reduced by deforestation, forest fires, drought, disease and other threats.
The Australian government announced that the list refers to the states of Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
And he was urged to do more to protect koalas from rapid habitat decline and climate change.
The species was listed as “vulnerable” in these states and territory only in 2012. Despite rapid deterioration, governments have been accused of hesitation.
“This list adds priority when it comes to koala conservation,” Environment Minister Sussan Ley said on Friday.
She added that authorities are working on a recovery plan, and applications for land development will now be evaluated for impacts on the species.
Last year, research from New South Wales showed that koalas would go extinct by 2050 unless urgent intervention was taken.
An estimated 2019-2020 wildfires killed 5,000 koalas and affected 24% of their habitats in New South Wales alone.
Australia’s largest koala conservation group says there may now be as few as 50,000 of the species in the wild.
“Koalas have gone from unlisted to vulnerable to endangered in a decade. It’s an incredibly rapid decline,” said WWF-Australia conservation scientist Stuart Blanch.
“Today’s decision is a welcome one, but it will not stop koalas from slipping into extinction unless it is accompanied by stricter laws and incentives for landowners to protect their forest habitat.”
Scientists warn that climate change will also exacerbate forest fires and drought, as well as reduce the quality of the species’ diet of eucalyptus leaves.
Koalas are also found in the states of South Australia and Victoria, but their numbers are declining nationally, according to conservation groups.
