Are koalas about to hit the endangered list?
Koala populations are struggling in NSW, Queensland and the ACT, prompting a review to check how close they are to extinction in the wild amid widespread habitat loss from land clearing and increasing impacts from climate change, bushfires, heatwaves and droughts. Koalas are listed as a vulnerable species in NSW, Queensland and the ACT under the federal government classification. But their status may need to be upgraded to endangered if the review finds their chance of survival should be downgraded to match the 40 species of native mammals already on the endangered list such as quolls, numbats and Tasmanian devils. Federal government is investigating if the conservation status of koala needs to be upgraded to endangered. Credit:Getty Images  Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley has asked the Threatened Species Scientific Committee to undertake a review of koala survival status, kicking off a scientific study and public consultation. She has also started a process to create a cross-jurisdictional recovery plan, which is nearly 10 years overdue. The images of burnt, injured, dehydrated and frightened koalas suffering during the bushfires were haunting, Ms Ley said.