National holidays to say HBD to a Monarch we don’t care about, Margot Robbie, the goon sack: all are stellar Australian icons that we’re proud to celebrate – make no mistake. But I’ll be damned if koalas don’t unequivocally top the list of Australian greats. As all of our recent coverage on them will attest, those furry lil marsupial bastards are the absolute shit.
I mean. Please.
Which is why today’s news from Queensland is bittersweet: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced today that koalas will soon be grouped under the banner of “vulnerable” species in her State.
Palaszczuk supported the decision, saying that while the new status of koalas in Queensland isn’t a positive sign for the native Australian species, it does reaffirm the necessity of a call-to-action for the conservation of koalas and their natural habitats. Premier Palaszczuk said:
“This means that now the State Government will work very closely with the councils, with local government agencies to make sure that we are mapping, and doing everything we can to protect the koala.”
Queensland Environment minister Steven Miles said the news meant koala populations in the state aren’t as strong as previously thought, but supported the reclassification, as more pressure will be placed on the protection of koalas.
Yesterday, the Great Barrier Reef narrowly dodged a ruling by UNESCO, and was not included on their “in danger” list. The decision was criticised by some environmental groups, as an “in danger” ruling may have inspired a renewed conservation effort on the reef, much like today’s preventative listing of koalas as “vulnerable”.
Via ABC.
Lead image via handout via Getty.
