Concervation
When Europeans first arrived in Australia in the 1700s there were possibly 10 million or more koalas.
In the two centuries since then the population has fallen dramatically.
Scientists do not always agree on the current size of the koala population, although some believe the total number is somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 animals.
By 1930, koalas were so rare that animal experts believed the species could disappear altogether.
The government made new laws to protect it. Large – scale hunting was completely banned. Koalas in South Australia had already been wiped out. Conservation workers launched projects to bring them back to areas where they once lived. Koalas living farther north were caught and released into suitable woodlands in the south.
These re- introductions worked well and the koalas bred successfully.
Koalas are not endangered, but the loss of their habitat is a serious threat, preserving koala habitats is the most important thing people can do to help these animals.
Groups such as the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) help protect koalas by working with governments to make laws that conserve koala's homes.
Koala sanctuaries, such as the lone Pine Koala Sanctuary on the western coast of Australia, are reserves where people raise and protect koalas.
Researches study koalas to find ways to protect them.
Koala Bear The people of Australia are now trying to protect koalas. They have set aside special areas with plenty of eucalyptus trees where the koalas can live.
These special areas are called preserves. In preserves, the eucalyptus trees are safe, too.
If people continue to take care of Australia's eucalyptus forests, koalas will be munching leaves for, long time.
While they are not in immediate danger, koalas face some very serious problems.
Australians are deeply concerned about the lovable marsupial, which has become a symbol of their country.
They have built hospitals where can treat injured koalas and then return them to their original habitats.
They have formed organizations dedicated to the protection of koalas and of the eucalyptus forests.
In some parts of Australia, governments have established parks and refuges where koalas can live undisturbed by people.
Many koalas are rescued and taken to parks and preserves. These protected areas are sanctuaries, or safe places, for them to live.
Others are placed in zoos, so more people can learn about them. People can help save koalas and other animals by not destroying the forests in which they live.
Koalas are not easy to keep in captivity because they are such fussy eaters.
In the past it has also been difficult to breed koalas in captivity, although there are now some successful breeding programs.
San Diego zoo has bred over 100 koalas since 1976.
Although it now has a very healthy population of koalas, the zoo regularly tries to get new animals from Australia to make sure that its koala collection does not suffer from inbreeding. Koalas are a protected species, which means that people cannot take them from the wild or have them in their possession without a special permit.
It also means koalas cannot be kept as pets.
However, although these laws exist to protect koalas themselves, the laws fail to protect the eucalyptus woodlands where they live, and without eucalyptus trees there would be no koalas.
At present it is up to each state government in Australia to protect its koala and to list their status. The status of a species reflects how close people think it is to actually dying out.
The listing generally ranges from common (or not thought to be under threat) to threatened, vulnerable, and rare to endangered and then, finally extinct.
The nearer to extinction a species is listed, the more a government is responsible for conserving both the species and its habitat.
Different states have different approaches to listing their koalas.
In Queensland koalas are currently listed as common.
In New South Wales they are listed as vulnerable, in South Austria as rare, and in Victoria they are not listed at all.
Although koala breeding in captivity is successful, it cannot help the long term conservation of these animals. Koalas bred in zoos are unable to survive if they are released into the wild. In addition, zoos do not play a large part in the conservation of koala habitats.
The only real future for koalas lies in protecting wild koalas and their natural surroundings.
There are good reasons to be hopeful about the future for koalas. They are Australia's most loved animal and are recognized worldwide as a symbol for the country.
They are closely linked with Australia's expanding tourism industry.
Many people are now working hard to help conserve koalas, public awareness of the problems koalas face is increasing in Australia and throughout the world.
However, more than their popularity is needed to save these animals.
Steps are being taken to save the koala.
The Australian government, state governments, and private groups have set aside special preserves where koalas can live in peace and without fear of losing their homes.
The Australian koala Foundation, a private group, manages koala preserves.
Through the group's efforts and the hard work of many others, concerned people are making sure this symbol of Australia is around for a long time to come.