Conservationists are warning that the koala is on a path to extinction - unless the Australian government actively takes steps to protect the species. The cuddly creatures have seen their populations shrink due to habitat destruction, interactions with dogs and cars, and a deadly epidemic of disease.
Up to 50 per cent of koalas across Australia are at risk of blindness, infertility, and death from an outbreak of chlamydia -- and the government is doing nothing to stop the spread of the disease. One Australian research team has developed a vaccine for Koalas to protect them from the disease but is having problems finding funding for the project.
The Australian Government listed koala populations in Queensland and New South Wales as Vulnerable, because of a 40% population decline in the former and a 33% decline in the latter. Thousands of the animals are thought to die every single year from this preventable illness.
It’s time for the Australian government to provide the funds needed for mass vaccinations of koalas across Australia to stop them slipping into extinction.
Please sign and share the petition to demand the Australian government provides the funding to help save the koalas.
