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Some koala species could be extinct by 2050 after Australian bushfires, scientists warn

An injured koala sits at an emergency wildlife centre on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, which was also ravaged by bushfires: REUTERS
An injured koala sits at an emergency wildlife centre on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, which was also ravaged by bushfires: REUTERS

Koalas could be extinct in parts of Australia within the next three decades, scientists have warned.

Populations of the mammal are facing “death by a thousand cuts” following the country’s bushfire crisis, conservationists told a parliamentary inquiry in New South Wales (NSW).

Around 10,000 koalas are thought to have perished in the region - 80 per cent of the local population - during Australia’s latest bushfire season, which saw a state of emergency declared in November.

The blazes were eventually put out earlier this month when rain arrived.

Firefighters fought intense blazes in New South Wales that continued to rage throughout January 2020 (REUTERS)
Firefighters fought intense blazes in New South Wales that continued to rage throughout January 2020 (REUTERS)

Dr Stuart Blanch, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) policy manager, said initial surveys of koalas amid the ashes showed some species could die out as soon as 2050.

“They are heading towards extinction increasingly,” he told 7news.

“I wouldn’t be surprised, based on what we’re hearing, if we lost 10,000 koalas from the fire and the drought.”

He added that new incentives are needed for local farmers to protect habitats. Campaigners are calling for the animal to be recognised as an endangered species.

Dr Kara Youngentob, a biologist at Australian National University, told the inquiry: “It’s death by a thousand cuts for the koala.

“There are big gaps in our understanding of how koala populations respond to fire. Basic knowledge about when they can safely be released is lacking.”

More than 800 animals are estimated to have been killed in NSW during the fires.

Rescuers on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, were rushing to save surviving koalas after the island’s population diminished from 60,000 before the fires to below 10,000.