“Scientists are worried about the effect rising sea levels and deforestation are having on Australia’s koala population. The iconic Aussie animal is already listed as vulnerable, but some are concerned things will only get worse.”
Jack Evans, reporter, posted a video and report on the 13th June 2017 on the ABC Behind the News.  http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4682056.htm

“…since 2012 this iconic Australian marsupial has been listed as a VULNERABLE SPECIES [IUCN Red List of Threatened Species] … today there are less than 40,000 koalas left in the wild…  koalas have declined by 50% in the last 15 -20 years…  habitat loss though logging, climate chain ,,,rising sea levels …..”

JACK EVANS REPORTER:
“They’re the Aussie icon that loves hanging in gum trees; sleeping, eating leaves and well, that’s pretty much it. But this iconic marsupial might be starting to wake up to some big problems. Since 2012 koalas have been listed as a vulnerable species and since then their numbers have fallen further. Today there are fewer than 40,000 koalas left in the wild. Mainly because of things like dog attacks, cars and vanishing habitats.”
PAULA FLACK, NORTH EAST FOREST ALLIANCE:
“Koalas have declined by fifty per cent in the last fifteen to twenty years. Experts say the biggest problem koalas face is tree logging. While the timber industry does create jobs, every year heaps of koala homes are destroyed due to tree-clearing and more areas are scheduled for clearing, particularly in parts of south east Queensland where lots of koalas live….The very area they want to get in to absolutely hammer is the very area that is the highest koala habitat. So, koala conservationists are calling for an end to hardwood logging in those areas. But tree-clearing isn’t the only problem koalas are facing right now. Recently a national koala conference was held and there, scientists discussed the effect climate change might be having on koala populations. One report has found 14 per cent of costal gum trees could be overtaken by salt water in the next 50 years. Here’s how it works: Rising tides or floods cause high levels of salt in the surrounding soil. This can increase the level of toxins in the leaves of gum trees, making them inedible for koalas. The trees can also wilt and die. It’s something that’s got a lot of conservationists worried.”
OISIN SWEENEY, NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION:
“Pretty much every population within that stretch of coastline is in decline, some sharply so. But there are a few ideas people are looking at to protect koalas and their habitats in the future. In Queensland, some want to create a huge koala national park to take in all of the koalas that are at risk. Meanwhile in New South Wales, the government has proposed buying land away from the coastline where gum trees would be protected from salt water.”
GABRIELLE UPTON, NSW ENVIRONMENT MINISTER:
“The 10 million dollars we’ve purposed to acquiring land, habitat for koalas, is exactly for the purpose of making sure that we have the resources to be able to acquire lands to protect our koala population forever.”
JACK EVANS REPORTER:
“While these are just a couple of the possible solutions, Conservationists want to make sure koalas are protected by any means necessary. So, this Aussie icon can continue doing what it does best eating leaves, sitting around and having long koala naps.”