Koalas in Australia will get extra protection under proposed new laws put forward by a foundation.
The Australian Koala Foundation is seeking to help Koalas by coming up with a federal “Koala Protection Act”, trying to draw attention to the situation of the marsupial.
As per the act, the warning would be sent on land clearing and development across all the habitat areas of the species.
Almost 20 per cent of the Australian continent would be protected to assist the species to thrive as the Koalas population had declined in numbers due to earlier natural catastrophes.
The Morrison government earlier declared Koalas an endangered species in NSW, Queensland, and the ACT due to the declining population.
The foundation is concerned that the species should not be declared endangered in Victoria and South Australia.
To avoid this, the foundation sent the draft bill to new Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to draw her attention to the situation of Koalas.
Deborah Tabart, the foundation’s chairman, said the new proposed law would prohibit the erection of new infrastructures in Koala’s habitat areas unless developers or contractors could prove their plans would have a gentle cause.
“Over the years we have had people from different sides of politics water (the Bill) down to make it less onerous,” she told NCA NewsWire.
“But unless you stop the trees from coming down how in the heck will you save those koalas?”
The foundation has estimated almost 30 per cent of the Koala population has been wiped out due to land clearing and bushfires.
As per the statistics, the population sees a drop from between 45,0745 and 82,170 to between 32,065 and 57,920 in 2021.
The major reason for population decline was devastating bushfires in the country from 2019 to 2020.
The foundation is the first to estimate the Koala population nationwide.
