by Leonardo T. and Ludovica B.
We may not encounter koalas anymore in some Australian states. The reason for this is that, in the last decade, the Australian government has introduced cows and horses in certain parts of the continent. This has led to the decline of koala bears in two main states, Queensland and New South Wales. The extermination of these mammals is mainly due to the fact that cows and horses stomp on and bite them for the reason that these animals are not used to koala bears so they mistake them for dogs, which cows and horses are scared of.
Another reason why koalas are an endangered species is because, due to the fact that trees where koalas live are being cut down, they are forced to spend more time on the ground rather than on trees. These animals have been found wandering in Australian hospitals and stopping traffic. There has also been a case of a koala sitting in the middle of the road for several minutes causing a huge gridlock. The mammal was then escorted by a police car and taken back to the closest reserve.
The Australian government has funded various conservation projects to avoid the extinction of koala bears. Despite this, the WWF says that within years, these animals could completely disappear in Queensland and New South Wales, which both have a high percentage of declining koala bear populations (53% for Queensland and 26% for NSW).