Koala bears at the risk of being extinct by 2050

A recent study has proven that unless adequate action is taken to conserve their habitats, Koala bears are at the risk of becoming extinct by 2050. These thriving marsupials are indigenous to the grasslands of Australia, but are slowly diminishing due to the rapid destruction of their living environments. This decline in their presence was accelerated by the massive Australian forest fires of 2019-’20 when 11,264 bush or grass fires burnt 5.4 million hectares (13 million acres) of land. It is believed that close to 500 koala bears had been killed during this disaster.

An inquiry has been launched into their disappearance by the New South Wales Department of Environmental Conservation. The inquiry, by a cross-party committee, found pre-bushfire estimates that koalas numbered 36,000 in NSW were now outdated. The committee made 42 recommendations, including establishing new national parks in identified areas and reducing land clearing. “Koalas are an iconic Australian animal recognised the world over and a national treasure which we will do everything we can to protect for future generations,” state Environment Minister Matt Kean said, after a meeting with the above committee.

Koala bears are primarily found in New South Wales, although they are also scattered across  Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. As of 2019, the Australian Koala Foundation has estimated a number of “only 80,000” koala bears remaining in the world.

This statistic actively places them on the endangered list, placing an immediate call to action for their conservation.