Australia to spend a record $35 million to protect koalas
Australia will spend a record $50 million Australian ($35 million US) over the next four years to boost long-term protection and recovery of its koala population , Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office said in a statement on Saturday. “Koalas are one of Australia’s most loved and best-recognized icons, both here at home and across the world, and we are committed to protecting them for generations to come,” Morrison said in the statement. The fund will be used for “restoring koala habitat, improving our understanding of koala populations, supporting training in koala treatment and care, and strengthening research into koala health outcomes,” Morrison said. With the new investment, the Australian government will have dedicated $74 million Australian ($52 million US) to koalas since 2019, it added. Since 2018, about 30% of Australia’s koalas have been lost due to bushfires, drought, and land clearing for development, according to an Australian Koala Foundation statement in S...