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Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. In the mature Eucalypt trees near Lismore, some koalas are very active at sunset, feeding on leaves. Under threat, their main challenge is to find enough suitable habitat as deforestation has led to a shrinkage of the available territory for these animals, making WWF-Australia’s initiative of creating koala friendly forests with landowners more relevant than ever.
A koala in an Eucalypt near Lismore, NSW. © WWF-US / Franck Gazzola

Become a Koala Champion

Australia Post and WWF-Australia are working together to help protect koalas and regenerate nature.

Our iconic koala is officially Endangered across Queensland, NSW and the ACT. Habitat destruction, climate change and extreme weather events, including bushfires and floods, are all having significant impacts on koalas and the forests they depend on.

Without urgent action, we could lose koalas forever by 2050.

Join our mission and become a Koala Champion today! Together, we can restore habitats, support wildlife, and help nature recover.

Take the Quiz:

Become a koala-fied champion for nature!

Koala climbing a tree with two people looking on
img-andy-the-koala-release-ipswich © WWF-Australia

What WWF is Doing

WWF-Australia is at the forefront of research efforts to protect koalas and restore their habitat. By working together, we can turn the tide for koalas. Our mission is to not only double koala populations by 2050 but also ensure lasting protection for them and their forest homes. Discover how we're making a difference in koala conservation.

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Get to know a Koala Champion

Koala Champions in the Community
WWF-Australia's Indigenous Land Management Specialist Djarra Delaney
WWF-Australia's Indigenous Land Management Specialist Djarra Delaney © WWF-Aus / think Mammoth

Meet the Next Generation of Indigenous Conservation Leaders: Djarra Delaney

“The night before I was born, the koalas started calling out from the trees, and were, just really loud. So Mum always thought that they were kind of calling me into the world. Ever since then I really feel like, quite a deep connection with koalas and kind of feel a kinship to them.”

Djarra Delaney

WWF-Australia’s Indigenous Land Management Specialist

Meet Djarra Delaney
Bangalow Koalas President Linda Sparrow and WWF conservationist Tanya Pritchard embraced the mud during the tree planting event
Bangalow Koalas President Linda Sparrow and WWF conservationist Tanya Pritchard embraced the mud during the tree planting event © Property Shot Photography

Bangalow Koalas president Linda Sparrow

Have you ever wondered how koala habitat restoration actually works? Meet Linda Sparrow, President of Bangalow Koalas—a community-driven organisation dedicated to protecting and restoring koala habitat in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. This area is home to some of Australia’s endangered koala populations, making habitat preservation critical. Bangalow Koalas is working to ensure these iconic animals have the trees they need to feed, breed, and move safely through the landscape.

Meet Linda Sparrow

Downloads and Educational Resources

Explore our koala-themed educational resources and downloads
Indigenous koala art from Wiradjuri and Gundungurra artist Sarah Levett (square).
Indigenous koala art from Wiradjuri and Gundungurra artist Sarah Levett (square). © Sarah Levett / WWF-Australia

INDIGENOUS KOALA ART WALLPAPER

Wiradjuri and Gundungurra artist Sarah Levett worked together with WWF-Australia to create spectacular Indigenous koala art wallpapers.

Click through to see the artworks and download them to use as a Zoom or Teams background or wallpapers for desktop and mobile devices!

Download the wallpaper here
A wild koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) climbing in its natural habitat of gum trees.
© Shutterstock / GunnerL / WWF

Explore Koala Education Resources

Understanding the impact of wildlife and nature loss is one of the most powerful ways to create change. Dive into our koala-focused educational lessons—developed by Cool.org and proudly supported by Australia Post, a committed partner of WWF-Australia. Start learning today and help protect the future of our iconic wildlife.

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Start a conversation today

As you now know, koalas face a number of threats and could disappear by 2050. Koala conservation has never been more critical.

So, let’s talk about it. Find all the important details below.

What’s going on with koalas on the east coast?

As of 2022, koalas are listed as Endangered in Queensland, NSW and ACT. Without urgent action, scientists predict koalas could be extinct by 2050. 

Sadly, they are facing a multitude of threats and, unless we address them, koalas may disappear forever.

Koalas are losing their forest homes

The threats facing koalas are not new. Koalas have been on a downward trajectory for many years.

Sadly, koala trees and habitats are being destroyed or fragmented because of tree-clearing for agriculture and urban development. As koalas use trees for both shelter and their main source of food, deforestation is a serious threat to wild populations.

Not only does deforestation lead to fewer trees for koalas to eat and sleep in, it also means koalas must spend more time on the ground when moving between the remaining patches of forest. This makes them more vulnerable to injury and predation.

But that’s not all - they face other threats too

Climate change is making natural disasters like bushfires and floods more frequent and severe, further threatening koalas and their homes. Prolonged droughts and extremely high temperatures, like heatwaves, can also make koalas sick and dehydrated. Drier weather means the eucalyptus leaves koalas rely on contain less moisture, which is a problem seeing as koalas get majority of their water from their diet.

Disease like Chlamydia is a major threat for koalas, causing blindness and problems with their kidneys and reproductive organs. Left untreated, Chlamydia can cause permanent blindness in koalas, and even death.

Koalas are important

Koalas are a culturally significant species and, like all species, they have a critical role to play in creating a balanced ecosystem. 

Koalas help influence the growth and health of their eucalyptus forest habitats. Through selective feeding, koalas promote the growth of certain eucalyptus species over others, in turn influencing the abundance and diversity of other plant and animal species.

Conversation is key

Many Aussies are unaware our greatest icon is facing extinction by 2050. You can be a voice for koalas by simply starting a conversation.The more people who are aware of the threats koalas face, the greater impact we can have. Thank you for being one of them.

Other ways you can help

Acknowledgements

Thank you to our partners Australia Post.

Australia Post and WWF-Australia are working together to protect koalas and regenerate nature across Australia.

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