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1.
Koalas are officially endangered in eastern Australia as disease, lost habitat and other threats have significantly affected their populations. Environment Minister Sussan Ley changed their status from vulnerable to endangered across the country’s east coast on a recommendation by the government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee
2.
Since 2001, Koala populations have decreased by 33%-61% in New South Wales, and by 50% in Queensland. Koalas are vulnerable to many threats including disease, climate change and deforestation. Some koalas are killed by dogs or hit by cars.
(1)Which of Australia’s native animals would you most like to see in person?
(2)Is your country home to any vulnerable or endangered animals? What are the biggest threats they face?
3. The Black Summer fires, a period of brushfires in 2019 and 2020 that killed at least 6,400 koalas, also had a big impact on the population. The Australian Koala Foundation estimates that there are now less than 100,000 koalas left in the wild, and possibly as few as 43,000.
4.
In 2020, an inquiry in New South Wales found that the species might become extinct before 2050 without urgent action. “Koalas have gone from no-listing to vulnerable to endangered within a decade,” said Stuart Blanch, a conservation scientist with the World Wildlife Fund Australia.
(1)What countries would you most like to visit for their wildlife? (2)Do you expect the number of endangered animals in the world to increase or decrease over the next decade?
What does “Japan” mean in English?
5.
He added that the change in status will not stop the species from going extinct if the government does not introduce better legislation and incentives for landowners to protect the koalas’ habitats.
6.
According to Ley, the government is trying to help the species in several ways, including restoring their habitats, using drones to study them, and developing vaccines to prevent and treat chlamydia, which is common among koalas. While the government said that changing their status to endangered will highlight and help address threats, conservation groups argue more has to be done to prevent their extinction.
(1)What are your thoughts on koalas being declared endangered in parts of Australia?(2)What parts of your country would you recommend to visitors interested in seeing wildlife?(3)Would you be interested in working in conservation? Why? Why not?Phonetic Chart
