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Koalas are Australia’s most iconic animals. Once abundant along the east coast of Australia they now live in small, fragmented populations. And as their habitat is bulldozed away under land clearing codes introduced by the NSW Government in 2017, NSW Koalas are now facing extinction.
- Almost every koala population in NSW is believed to be in decline. On the north coast, koala numbers are estimated to have fallen by as much as 50 per cent in just the last 20 years.
- Koalas’ prefer to live on fertile land dotted with tall, mature trees. The same land that is being destroyed by developers, loggers and the agricultural industry.
- Recent changes to land clearing legislation make it easier to clear koala habitat on private land. This makes it more important than ever that koala habitat on public land is protected.
- Tree clearing is a major animal cruelty issue in NSW. An estimated 5 to 10 million vertebrate animals are killed each year in NSW as trees are bulldozed - but currently these animal welfare impacts are almost completely ignored under current laws.
- As the trees koalas call their homes are bulldozed, these displaced animals are at risk of being killed outright or maimed from being crushed or falling to the ground. Those who escape are often hit by cars or attacked by dogs.
- If koalas manage to make it to remaining habitat, there is often no room for them as their habitat grows smaller and food sources disappear. This leaves many koalas to suffer and die due to overcrowding, deprivation, conflict, stress and disease.
The NSW Government must strengthen laws regulating tree clearing and end the destruction of what precious habitat koalas have left.
They must create wildlife corridors to allow koalas to move between what habitat remains.
And they must commit to creating the Great Koala National Park.
Without this action koalas in NSW will not survive.