World Elephant Day 2023: Every year August 12 is observed as World Elephant Day. It is a day dedicated to the preservation and protection of elephants worldwide. The day was constituted in 2012. This day serves as a platform to highlight the challenges elephants encounter, including habitat loss, poaching for ivory, human-elephant conflicts, and the need for better conservation efforts.

The idea of this day was given by Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary–General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/indian-american-doctor-arrested-in-us-for-masturbating-in-front-of-young-girl-624563">Indian-American doctor arrested in US for masturbating in front of young girl</a>

It was officially founded, supported and launched by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation on 12 August 2012. Since that time, Patricia Sims continues to lead, support and direct World Elephant Day, which is now recognised and celebrated by over 100 wildlife organisations and many individuals in countries across the globe

<h2>World Elephant Day: History</h2>

On 12 August 2012 Patricia Sims, a Canadian, and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand, an initiative of HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand, co-founded World Elephant Day.&nbsp;

Patricia Sims has continued to oversee World Elephant Day ever since. It has partnered with 100 elephant conservation organisations globally since its beginning and has reached countless people all over the world.&nbsp;

<h2>World Elephant Day: Significance</h2>

World Elephant Day is a platform for groups and individuals to come together and speak out about issues that harm elephants. The escalation of poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity are just some of the threats to elephants, specifically to African and Asian elephants.&nbsp;

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Working towards better protection for wild elephants, improving enforcement policies to prevent the illegal poaching and trade of ivory, conserving elephant habitats, better treatment for captive elephants and, when appropriate, reintroducing captive elephants into natural, protected sanctuaries are the goals that numerous elephant conservation organizations are focusing on around the world.

<h2>World Elephant Day: Mission</h2>

African elephants are listed as "Vulnerable" and Asian elephants as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. One conservationist has stated that both African and Asian elephants face extinction within twelve years.

The goal of World Elephant Day is to create awareness of the urgent plight of African and Asian elephants.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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World Elephant Day 2023: Every year August 12 is observed as World Elephant Day. It is a day dedicated to the preservation and protection of elephants worldwide.

World Elephant Day 2023: Every year August 12 is observed as World Elephant Day. It is a day dedicated to the preservation and protection of elephants worldwide. The day was constituted in 2012. This day serves as a platform to highlight the challenges elephants encounter, including habitat loss, poaching for ivory, human-elephant conflicts, and the need for better conservation efforts. The idea of this day was given by Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary–General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand. Also Read | Indian-American doctor arrested in US for masturbating in front of young girl It was officially founded, supported and launched by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation on 12 August 2012. Since that time, Patricia Sims continues to lead, support and direct World Elephant Day, which is now recognised and celebrated by over 100 wildlife organisations and many individuals in countries across the globe World Elephant Day: History On 12 August 2012 Patricia Sims, a Canadian, and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand, an initiative of HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand, co-founded World Elephant Day. Patricia Sims has continued to oversee World Elephant Day ever since. It has partnered with 100 elephant conservation organisations globally since its beginning and has reached countless people all over the world. World Elephant Day: Significance World Elephant Day is a platform for groups and individuals to come together and speak out about issues that harm elephants. The escalation of poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity are just some of the threats to elephants, specifically to African and Asian elephants. Also Read | Gadar 2 leaked online? Sunny Deol-starrer film leaked on release date? Fact-check here Working towards better protection for wild elephants, improving enforcement policies to prevent the illegal poaching and trade of ivory, conserving elephant habitats, better treatment for captive elephants and, when appropriate, reintroducing captive elephants into natural, protected sanctuaries are the goals that numerous elephant conservation organizations are focusing on around the world. World Elephant Day: Mission African elephants are listed as "Vulnerable" and Asian elephants as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. One conservationist has stated that both African and Asian elephants face extinction within twelve years. The goal of World Elephant Day is to create awareness of the urgent plight of African and Asian elephants. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Elephant Day 2023: Date, history, significance and all you need to know

Representatives from 193 member nations of the United Nations convened on Monday (February 20) in the United States city of New York and for the next two weeks will negotiate its long-awaited treaty to protect the world’s oceans. This meeting comes after decades of formal and informal talks which opened with cautious optimism as many hope to make a decision at the end of it. The global agreement will protect and manage nearly two-thirds of the world’s oceans that lie beyond countries’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) known as the high seas.

What do we know about the meeting so far?

The talks which opened on Monday will go on till March 3 and are supposed to be the final round of negotiations after no agreement has been reached after more than 15 years. Notably, this is the third time in less than one year that delegates have gathered at the UN headquarters and due to the historic deal reached by the end of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference or COP15 in Montreal, Canada many are hopeful.&nbsp;

“I hope we've come together here with a will to get us to the finish line,” said conference chair Rena Lee, addressing the delegates as the talks began, reported AFP. She added, “an agreement that is universal, that is effective, that is implementable and that is future proofed is within our reach.” The President of the Intergovernmental Conference also encouraged delegates to build on the progress made during the August session, last year and focus on developing an agreement “that will bridge the existing gaps.”

The fifth session of the conference was convened following the General Assembly resolution 77/248 on “Oceans and the law of the sea”. The aim of these rounds of talks is to finalise an international legally binding agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas which are beyond national jurisdiction under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.&nbsp;

What per cent of our oceans are protected?

Last year, ministers and government officials from about 190 countries in Montreal signed an agreement known as 30 by 30 which committed to protecting 30 per cent of land and water which are considered pillars of biodiversity by 2030. Prior to this, only 17 per cent of terrestrial and 10 per cent of marine areas were protected.&nbsp;

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only eight per of the world’s marine areas are protected which includes 1.4 per cent of the high seas. The areas of the high seas that are protected fall under North East Atlantic and Antarctic oceans but they are regional and not global, or even binding for all governments, said Jessica Battle, a senior expert on ocean policy and governance at the World Wide Fund for Nature, as per Al Jazeera.&nbsp;

Why is this agreement important?

As mentioned earlier, the agreement will focus on the high seas which begin at the border of countries' EEZ and extend up to 200 nautical miles, or 370 kilometres from the coast and therefore fall under the jurisdiction of no country. Notably, the high seas make up more than 60 per cent of the world’s oceans and almost half of the planet’s surface but receive little to no&nbsp;attention since there are no borders.&nbsp;

Last month UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Humanity has been waging a senseless and self-defeating war on nature, and the ocean is on the front lines of the battle,” and called on the nations to finish the delayed negotiations. The oceans contribute significantly to global climate as well as provide oxygen, drive weather systems, and store a quarter of human-generated carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas heating up the planet.&nbsp;

The ocean supports a huge range of biodiversity and is home to possibly millions of species which are yet to be discovered. According to IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, at least 10 per cent of underwater plants and animals assessed are under threat of going extinct. Additionally, oceans have been subjected to overfishing, depleting not only the fish stocks but also their ability to rebuild, said Battle, as per Reuters.&nbsp;

She also addresses the lesser-known phenomenon of “bycatch” which means that fish that is accidentally caught is later discarded as waste. It is estimated that bycatch accounts for at least 40 per cent of the world’s global commercial catch. Not to mention the human-induced climate change which has adversely affected ocean health and caused coral reefs to bleach and forced fish to migrate to cooler waters.

What’s the problem?

The UN draft treaty is said to include provisions to protect the world’s oceans from overfishing, pollution and other threats but&nbsp;also comprises parenthetical clauses and multiple options which reflect the long list of contentious issues at hand. The delegates are reportedly divided on one core issue which is how would these sanctuary zones be established. Additionally, there is no agreement on the assessment of the environmental impact of activities like mining in the high seas, reported AFP.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the debate on the division of future profits collected by pharmaceutical, chemical or cosmetic manufacturers, for example from newly discovered marine substances also remains unresolved. As developing countries have argued that they will not be able to afford costly research and fear they might get left behind. This is something that observers had accused rich countries, particularly&nbsp;European Union member states, of doing during the previous session in August 2022, as per reports.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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Representatives from 193 member nations of the United Nations convened on Monday (February 20) in the United States city of New York and for the next two weeks will negotiate its long-awaited treaty to protect the world’s oceans.

Representatives from 193 member nations of the United Nations convened on Monday (February 20) in the United States city of New York and for the next two weeks will negotiate its long-awaited treaty to protect the world’s oceans. This meeting comes after decades of formal and informal talks which opened with cautious optimism as many hope to make a decision at the end of it. The global agreement will protect and manage nearly two-thirds of the world’s oceans that lie beyond countries’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) known as the high seas. What do we know about the meeting so far? The talks which opened on Monday will go on till March 3 and are supposed to be the final round of negotiations after no agreement has been reached after more than 15 years. Notably, this is the third time in less than one year that delegates have gathered at the UN headquarters and due to the historic deal reached by the end of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference or COP15 in Montreal, Canada many are hopeful. “I hope we've come together here with a will to get us to the finish line,” said conference chair Rena Lee, addressing the delegates as the talks began, reported AFP. She added, “an agreement that is universal, that is effective, that is implementable and that is future proofed is within our reach.” The President of the Intergovernmental Conference also encouraged delegates to build on the progress made during the August session, last year and focus on developing an agreement “that will bridge the existing gaps.” The fifth session of the conference was convened following the General Assembly resolution 77/248 on “Oceans and the law of the sea”. The aim of these rounds of talks is to finalise an international legally binding agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas which are beyond national jurisdiction under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. What per cent of our oceans are protected? Last year, ministers and government officials from about 190 countries in Montreal signed an agreement known as 30 by 30 which committed to protecting 30 per cent of land and water which are considered pillars of biodiversity by 2030. Prior to this, only 17 per cent of terrestrial and 10 per cent of marine areas were protected. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only eight per of the world’s marine areas are protected which includes 1.4 per cent of the high seas. The areas of the high seas that are protected fall under North East Atlantic and Antarctic oceans but they are regional and not global, or even binding for all governments, said Jessica Battle, a senior expert on ocean policy and governance at the World Wide Fund for Nature, as per Al Jazeera. Why is this agreement important? As mentioned earlier, the agreement will focus on the high seas which begin at the border of countries' EEZ and extend up to 200 nautical miles, or 370 kilometres from the coast and therefore fall under the jurisdiction of no country. Notably, the high seas make up more than 60 per cent of the world’s oceans and almost half of the planet’s surface but receive little to no attention since there are no borders. Last month UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Humanity has been waging a senseless and self-defeating war on nature, and the ocean is on the front lines of the battle,” and called on the nations to finish the delayed negotiations. The oceans contribute significantly to global climate as well as provide oxygen, drive weather systems, and store a quarter of human-generated carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas heating up the planet. The ocean supports a huge range of biodiversity and is home to possibly millions of species which are yet to be discovered. According to IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, at least 10 per cent of underwater plants and animals assessed are under threat of going extinct. Additionally, oceans have been subjected to overfishing, depleting not only the fish stocks but also their ability to rebuild, said Battle, as per Reuters. She also addresses the lesser-known phenomenon of “bycatch” which means that fish that is accidentally caught is later discarded as waste. It is estimated that bycatch accounts for at least 40 per cent of the world’s global commercial catch. Not to mention the human-induced climate change which has adversely affected ocean health and caused coral reefs to bleach and forced fish to migrate to cooler waters. What’s the problem? The UN draft treaty is said to include provisions to protect the world’s oceans from overfishing, pollution and other threats but also comprises parenthetical clauses and multiple options which reflect the long list of contentious issues at hand. The delegates are reportedly divided on one core issue which is how would these sanctuary zones be established. Additionally, there is no agreement on the assessment of the environmental impact of activities like mining in the high seas, reported AFP. Meanwhile, the debate on the division of future profits collected by pharmaceutical, chemical or cosmetic manufacturers, for example from newly discovered marine substances also remains unresolved. As developing countries have argued that they will not be able to afford costly research and fear they might get left behind. This is something that observers had accused rich countries, particularly European Union member states, of doing during the previous session in August 2022, as per reports. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | UN ocean treaty talks resume: Why the deal to protect the world’s oceans is so important

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the endangered mountain gorillas share their natural habitat with rural communities. Our next report takes a look at how an organization is leading awareness campaigns for school children and inhabitants to protect the endangered species, take a look.

WION Climate Tracker | Mountain Gorillas threatened by habitat loss and poaching

Land consumption and natural habitat loss is proving to be a growing concern in Italy. To monitor the environment and make efficient assessments scientists at the Pisa university have now programmed dog-like robots to help them.

WION Climate Tracker | Dog-like robots deployed to monitor habitat health in Italy

A mammoth trek across southern China by a herd of elephants that has captivated the world with their playful antics has thrown a spotlight on the loss of their habitat and conservation challenges.

The lumbering mammals have journeyed around 500 kilometres&nbsp;(310 miles) from their home in one of the longest animal migrations of its kind recorded in China.

Scientists are still baffled by what prompted the elephants to leave their home at the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, bordering Laos.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-15-asian-elephants-on-the-loose-in-china-390461/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Since setting off in spring last year they have pilfered shops and trampled crops worth over $1 million, and thousands of residents have been evacuated from their path.

"For some reason these elephants felt that their traditional home range was no longer suitable... and then&nbsp;they just left to find somewhere else," Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz, an&nbsp;elephant&nbsp;specialist at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, told AFP.

"But they didn't have a destination in mind. They are just moving around trying to find a place that will work for them."

Officials have been tracking the wandering herd with drones round the clock, worried they might go on a rampage if they are stressed.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/heavy-sleepers-elephants-on-epic-trek-take-a-nap-390422">Heavy sleepers: Elephants on epic trek take a nap</a>

Elephants rely on infrasonic sound;&nbsp;the vibration of their feet, to communicate but in towns, they can be easily confused due to vehicle noises.

"What has surprised me the most is that these elephants are very healthy and look very happy despite roaming in densely populated, unfamiliar areas," Campos-Arceiz said.

"These elephants are very playful, which tells me that they are fine," he added.

Forest destructionForests in far southwest Yunnan province where the elephants came from are rapidly giving way to rubber and tea plantations, and herds have become marooned in disconnected preserves.&nbsp;

China is one of the few places in the world where the population of the endangered Asian&nbsp;elephant&nbsp;is increasing, due to strict anti-poaching laws and conservation efforts.

The country's wild&nbsp;elephant&nbsp;numbers have doubled to over 300 animals in the past three decades.

But their habitats have shrunk by nearly two-thirds over the same period, said Zhang Li, a professor of ecology at Beijing Normal University.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-why-did-a-herd-of-elephants-recently-travel-500-kms-in-china-389003">Watch: Why did a herd of elephants recently travel 500 kms in China?</a>

Habitat fragmentation, with hydropower plants and highways blocking old migration paths, makes it difficult to find mates and socialise.&nbsp;

Electric fences built to safeguard villagers also risk injuring wandering animals.

Forest destruction has led to a surge in conflicts between elephants and villagers in the region in recent years.&nbsp;

From 2013 to 2019, more than 70 people have been trampled to death and dozens injured by marauding elephants in Yunnan, data from the local wildlife office shows.

Mammoth task&nbsp;

Scientists are unsure whether a changing landscape was the prompt for the herd's migration, which has made them famous online and drawn international media to follow the march.

Fans have cooed over videos showing a matriarch saving a calf from a gutter and one where elephants line up in a courtyard to drink water with one successfully turning on a tap with its trunk.

State TV launched a 24/7 live&nbsp;elephant&nbsp;video stream to follow the movements of the 15 animals, which includes two calves born on the road.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-poetic-justice-elephants-on-the-loose-in-china-389309/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But with the elephants showing no sign of returning home or settling down in a new place, attempts by wildlife officials to direct them could be risky, experts warn.

Using truckloads of pineapple and sugarcane to bait them could irreversibly domesticate the herd.&nbsp;

"It's like getting a child used to eating sugar," said Wang Hongxin from Beijing Normal University.

During his surveys of&nbsp;elephant&nbsp;habitats in Yunnan, Wang has seen how "elephant&nbsp;canteens" planted with corn, bamboo and wild bananas to dissuade the beasts from pilfering fields have changed their diet, making them more prone to disease.&nbsp;

"The current march spotlights the threats facing Asian elephants," he added, warning conflicts would rise if habitat size is further reduced.

"Humans must retreat and let land return to the wild."

A mammoth trek across southern China by a herd of elephants that has captivated the world with their playful antics has thrown a spotlight on the loss of their habitat and conservation challenges.

A mammoth trek across southern China by a herd of elephants that has captivated the world with their playful antics has thrown a spotlight on the loss of their habitat and conservation challenges. The lumbering mammals have journeyed around 500 kilometres (310 miles) from their home in one of the longest animal migrations of its kind recorded in China. Scientists are still baffled by what prompted the elephants to leave their home at the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, bordering Laos. Since setting off in spring last year they have pilfered shops and trampled crops worth over $1 million, and thousands of residents have been evacuated from their path. "For some reason these elephants felt that their traditional home range was no longer suitable... and then they just left to find somewhere else," Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz, an elephant specialist at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, told AFP. "But they didn't have a destination in mind. They are just moving around trying to find a place that will work for them." Officials have been tracking the wandering herd with drones round the clock, worried they might go on a rampage if they are stressed. Also read | Heavy sleepers: Elephants on epic trek take a nap Elephants rely on infrasonic sound; the vibration of their feet, to communicate but in towns, they can be easily confused due to vehicle noises. "What has surprised me the most is that these elephants are very healthy and look very happy despite roaming in densely populated, unfamiliar areas," Campos-Arceiz said. "These elephants are very playful, which tells me that they are fine," he added. Forest destructionForests in far southwest Yunnan province where the elephants came from are rapidly giving way to rubber and tea plantations, and herds have become marooned in disconnected preserves. China is one of the few places in the world where the population of the endangered Asian elephant is increasing, due to strict anti-poaching laws and conservation efforts. The country's wild elephant numbers have doubled to over 300 animals in the past three decades. But their habitats have shrunk by nearly two-thirds over the same period, said Zhang Li, a professor of ecology at Beijing Normal University. Also read | Watch: Why did a herd of elephants recently travel 500 kms in China? Habitat fragmentation, with hydropower plants and highways blocking old migration paths, makes it difficult to find mates and socialise. Electric fences built to safeguard villagers also risk injuring wandering animals. Forest destruction has led to a surge in conflicts between elephants and villagers in the region in recent years. From 2013 to 2019, more than 70 people have been trampled to death and dozens injured by marauding elephants in Yunnan, data from the local wildlife office shows. Mammoth task Scientists are unsure whether a changing landscape was the prompt for the herd's migration, which has made them famous online and drawn international media to follow the march. Fans have cooed over videos showing a matriarch saving a calf from a gutter and one where elephants line up in a courtyard to drink water with one successfully turning on a tap with its trunk. State TV launched a 24/7 live elephant video stream to follow the movements of the 15 animals, which includes two calves born on the road. But with the elephants showing no sign of returning home or settling down in a new place, attempts by wildlife officials to direct them could be risky, experts warn. Using truckloads of pineapple and sugarcane to bait them could irreversibly domesticate the herd. "It's like getting a child used to eating sugar," said Wang Hongxin from Beijing Normal University. During his surveys of elephant habitats in Yunnan, Wang has seen how "elephant canteens" planted with corn, bamboo and wild bananas to dissuade the beasts from pilfering fields have changed their diet, making them more prone to disease. "The current march spotlights the threats facing Asian elephants," he added, warning conflicts would rise if habitat size is further reduced. "Humans must retreat and let land return to the wild."

March of the elephants: China's rogue herd spotlights habitat loss

A new report paints a grim picture of the future of koalas in Australia. In the Australian state of New South Wales, there may be no koalas left by 2050.

The report claims that without urgent government intervention, the territory will lose all its koala population, many of whom were killed in the long-running bushfires that engulfed Australia recently.

Currently, the state has 36,000 koalas. A parliamentary inquiry revealed that these numbers&nbsp;are&nbsp;unreliable, and outdated. As logging and habitat displacement continues, koalas may be wiped from the state, and consequentially the country over the next three decades.

Bushfires add to woes

The report was presented on Tuesday, and claimed that the loss of habitat for koalas had been amplified owing to the 2019-2020 bushfires, which rendered 24 per cent of their habitat unliveable. Some habitat regions suffered damage amounting to over 80 per cent loss.

Climate change, complemented by fires and droughts, may drive koalas to extinction.

<h6><img alt="Two of 72 koalas which were displaced from their habitat by the flood waters recover in an emergency shelter at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane on January 15, 2011" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7ddf5ea-2689-4ec9-b7d9-b9b2c703b438" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_115.jpg" /> 
Two of 72 koalas which were displaced from their habitat by the flood waters recover in an emergency shelter at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane on January 15, 2011 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

According to the report, intervention is the need of the hour. “Given the scale of loss as a result of the fires to many significant local populations, the committee believes the koala will become extinct in New South Wales well before 2050 and that urgent government intervention is required to protect their habitat and address all other threats to their ongoing survival,” the report said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/koala-bears-wounded-during-australian-bushfires-re-released-into-forests-again-294165" hreflang="en">Koala bears wounded during Australian bushfires re-released into forests again</a>

The state once had a thriving koala population, and the report found that the local extinction happened before the bushfires hit the country.

The report brings to light the inadequacy of existing laws in dealing with the threat. “The report found that habitat loss and fragmentation was the biggest threat to koalas, yet at every turn we were handed evidence that showed our current laws are inadequate and facilitating the clearing of core koala habitat”.

Prioritised action

Based on their findings, the committee made 42 recommendations. They demanded a prioritised action from the government in protecting the koalas, to work on strengthening monitoring methods, and to increase funding for conservation groups that seek to help the koalas.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/koala-population-in-east-australia-faces-extinction-by-2050-warns-wwf-164175/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Additionally, the committee demanded the government to ban opening old forests to logging, and to provide incentives to farmers willing to protect their lands instead of clearing it.

They asked for a “significant increase in koala habitat protected from logging, mining, land clearing and urban development”.

The state’s conservation council reiterated the findings of the committee and called for immediate help. “We are pleased that there is a growing political consensus that koala extinction is a very real possibility if we don’t act urgently to protect koala habitat,” the council’s chief executive, Chris Gambian told the Guardian.

A report on Australia’s environmental laws is due this week, with the threat of loss of habitat looming large on the koala population.

A new report paints a grim picture of the future of koalas in Australia. In the Australian state of New South Wales, there may be no koalas left by 2050. The report claims that without urgent government intervention, the territory will lose all its koala population, many of whom were killed in the long-running bushfires that engulfed Australia recently.

A new report paints a grim picture of the future of koalas in Australia. In the Australian state of New South Wales, there may be no koalas left by 2050. The report claims that without urgent government intervention, the territory will lose all its koala population, many of whom were killed in the long-running bushfires that engulfed Australia recently. Currently, the state has 36,000 koalas. A parliamentary inquiry revealed that these numbers are unreliable, and outdated. As logging and habitat displacement continues, koalas may be wiped from the state, and consequentially the country over the next three decades. Bushfires add to woes The report was presented on Tuesday, and claimed that the loss of habitat for koalas had been amplified owing to the 2019-2020 bushfires, which rendered 24 per cent of their habitat unliveable. Some habitat regions suffered damage amounting to over 80 per cent loss. Climate change, complemented by fires and droughts, may drive koalas to extinction. Two of 72 koalas which were displaced from their habitat by the flood waters recover in an emergency shelter at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane on January 15, 2011 | AFP According to the report, intervention is the need of the hour. “Given the scale of loss as a result of the fires to many significant local populations, the committee believes the koala will become extinct in New South Wales well before 2050 and that urgent government intervention is required to protect their habitat and address all other threats to their ongoing survival,” the report said. Also read: Koala bears wounded during Australian bushfires re-released into forests again The state once had a thriving koala population, and the report found that the local extinction happened before the bushfires hit the country. The report brings to light the inadequacy of existing laws in dealing with the threat. “The report found that habitat loss and fragmentation was the biggest threat to koalas, yet at every turn we were handed evidence that showed our current laws are inadequate and facilitating the clearing of core koala habitat”. Prioritised action Based on their findings, the committee made 42 recommendations. They demanded a prioritised action from the government in protecting the koalas, to work on strengthening monitoring methods, and to increase funding for conservation groups that seek to help the koalas. Additionally, the committee demanded the government to ban opening old forests to logging, and to provide incentives to farmers willing to protect their lands instead of clearing it. They asked for a “significant increase in koala habitat protected from logging, mining, land clearing and urban development”. The state’s conservation council reiterated the findings of the committee and called for immediate help. “We are pleased that there is a growing political consensus that koala extinction is a very real possibility if we don’t act urgently to protect koala habitat,” the council’s chief executive, Chris Gambian told the Guardian. A report on Australia’s environmental laws is due this week, with the threat of loss of habitat looming large on the koala population.

Habitat loss in an Australian state may drive koalas to extinction by 2050

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