environment groups speak out against federal government’s koala count

Environmental groups across Australia have poured cold water over the federal government’s koala census and are demanding an immediate halt on land clearing and development in koala habitats.

The group of 23 leaders in koala conservation and rescue on Thursday sent an open letter to Environment Minister Sussan Ley pointing to the increase in koala habitat destruction under the coalition’s leadership and called out the koala count as too little, too late.

“Degradation of koala habitat has increased under your government, and continues right now. Koalas cannot wait for a national count to reveal their numbers. They’re on a knife-edge now,” the letter said.

Koala Clancy Foundation President Janine Duffy said the federal government’s $18 million koala package is an insult to the volunteers and organisations who have been working to save Australia’s wildlife.

“I am terrified. For two decades I've watched koalas die from drought, fire and loss of habitat but the federal government cuts down trees faster than we can plant,” she said.

“This announcement is a slap in the face to everyone who has volunteered or donated to help save our wildlife.”

Australia witnessed rapid koala population declines after the devastating 2019/20 bushfires with a report commissioned by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) revealing at least 6,382 koalas were killed in NSW alone. The iconic marsupial is predicted to be extinct in NSW by 2050.

“Counting koalas is like counting the deckchairs on the Titanic as it sinks. While the government does its research, the iconic animal is nearing closer to extinction,” IFAW Oceania Regional Director Rebecca Keeble said.

“We need to address the core threat to their survival which is loss of habitat and adopt a precautionary approach and give them the protections they need now before it’s too late.”

Queensland’s koala population is also in a spiral of escalating decline and heading towards extinction. Koala populations in Victoria and South Australia face many of the same threats as their northern counterparts.

Australia, and the world, already know koalas are in decline. We don’t need a national count to tell us that. Koalas can’t wait for this count, or the research to come from it. They need action and protections now.

Dr Desley Whisson, Senior Lecturer in Wildlife and Conservation Biology at Deakin University, welcomed the government funding to better understand koala distribution, but warned that action is needed now.

“We already know that koala populations are in decline. Action to conserve koala habitat is needed now,” she said.

We are calling on the federal government to:

• Overturn all development approvals on sites with koala habitat
• Refuse upcoming development approvals on sites with koala habitat
• Apply pressure to the states to immediately halt native forest logging in koala habitat
• Make funding available for new national parks containing important koala habitat.
  

Click here to view the koala open letter.