Australia officially recognizes the koala as an endangered species
The koala is now considered an endangered species by the Australian government.
AP - Martin Meissner
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
It's now official, the koala has just been officially recognized as an endangered species by the Australian government.
This small marsupial, a fan of eucalyptus leaves, is mainly threatened by deforestation.
But thousands of koalas also perished during the catastrophic fires that hit Australia in the summer of 2019/2020.
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With our correspondent in Sydney,
Grégory Plesse
Together with the kangaroo, it is the symbol of an entire country, but if nothing is done, the koala could soon be only a distant memory.
Already considered vulnerable since 2012, the koala is now recognized as an endangered species.
The fires that ravaged Australia two years ago are said to have caused the death of more than 30% of all these marsupials.
This recognition is therefore welcome by the defenders of the environment.
But she seems a little hollow to Deborah Tabart who chairs
the Australian Koala Foundation
.
“
This ad looks great.
Except that it is not followed by effects.
And nothing will be done for at least two years.
If the minister was really sincere, she would act immediately
,” she said.
It also regrets that this classification has no particular consequences with respect to the protection of their habitat, the disappearance of which is the main cause of their extinction.
“
If the koala is classified as a vulnerable or threatened species, that does not prevent deforestation.
Unless the minister herself tells the bulldozers to stop.
However, neither the current minister nor her predecessors have ever done anything
, ”deplores Deborah Tabart.
With less than three months of elections which promise to be difficult, the Morrison government will therefore present itself to the voters with the assessment of the risk of the disappearance of two emblematic figures of Australia: the koala and the
Great Barrier Reef.
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Australia
Environment
Wildlife
Climate change