Help the koalas

I WOULD like to share some facts about koalas from the Australian Koala Foundation.

Koalas are in serious decline, suffering from the effects of habitat destruction, domestic dog attacks, bushfires and road accidents.

The AKF estimates that there are as few as 43,000 to 100,000 koalas left in the wild Australia-wide.

In 2017, the AKF believes that the federal government is abrogating its responsibility for protection of koala habitat to the states.

Then, the state governments often pass principal responsibility to local governments. Local government is where most day-to-day decisions are made about what happens to koala habitat, but where there is often the least amount of resources and expertise in wildlife management or habitat assessment.

By the time the Australian public realise koalas are on the brink of extinction, it will be too late. That time is near.

Koalas need the public to stand up for them as our federal, state and local governments are not. You can save the koala by lobbying government departments for a Koala Protection Act.

Surely everyone wants a KIMBY (koala in my back yard).

Australia is world famous for our koalas. I hope it will never be infamous for allowing the extinction of our loved icon. — SANDRA MCKAY, Crows Nest