Five years have now passed since the terrible “Black Summer,” the devastating fire season that struck Australia between June 2019 and March 2020, when over 19 million hectares of nature burned, causing the death or forced displacement of around 3 billion wild animals. Among the victims were over 60,000 koalas, already threatened by deforestation, urbanization, disease, and climate change. It is estimated that during that period, the koala population suffered a 72% collapse in six areas of the Australian east coast, prompting the government to declare the species ‘Endangered’ in 2022 in the regions of Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory.
According to the WWF report “Impacts of the unprecedented 2019-2020 bushfires on Australian animals,” the worst koala losses were recorded on Kangaroo Island, with 40,000 individuals potentially affected, and in the forests of Victoria, where 11,000 of these precious marsupials lived.
In the following months, WWF Australia launched the Australian Wildlife & Nature Recovery Fund, which raised over $50 million, enabling the launch of 254 projects aimed at environmental restoration across 400,000 hectares, species protection (73 animal species involved), and the involvement of local and indigenous communities.
Regenerate Australia has been launched to bring koalas back to eastern Australia and give them a chance to overcome the threats they face. As part of this plan, the Koalas Forever project aims to double the number of koalas by 2050, thanks in part to the creation of veterinary clinics (including some mobile units) to treat the thousands of koalas that were injured during the fires.
Since 2020, WWF Italy has also participated in this campaign, raising funds for these projects through the symbolic adoption of the species.
For their part, in 2022, the institutions drew up the National Recovery Plan for the Koala, a ten-year plan that focuses on habitat protection, genetic monitoring, the involvement of indigenous communities, and the creation of koala populations that are resilient to climate change and environmental disasters.
The most significant turning point came on September 7, 2025, with the announcement of the establishment of the Great Koala National Park in New South Wales, which protects 176,000 hectares of publicly owned forest. Thanks to connections with the existing system of protected areas, the total area of protected habitat is extended to 315,000 hectares, making it the largest sanctuary in the world dedicated to koalas (and over 100 endangered species). At the same time, a moratorium on deforestation came into force, accompanied by investments in ecotourism and training: it is estimated that the park could generate $163 million locally, becoming a magnet for nature tourism.
Indigenous communities, who have been guardians of the land for thousands of years, will participate in the management of the park and the transmission of traditional knowledge. For the Gumbaynggirr people, an Aboriginal community on the north coast of New South Wales, the koala—called Dunggiirr—is much more than an animal: it is a sacred figure, intertwined with spirituality, traditions, and creation stories.
THE FUTURE OF THE SPECIES IS STILL UNDER THREAT
Despite progress, the situation remains critical and threats continue to loom over the future of the species. The story of the koala is one of fragile resilience, supported by volunteers, communities, and researchers. If we save the koalas, we save thousands of other species and the forests they call home. This Christmas, each of us can make a small gesture to support WWF projects to protect this iconic species and restore its habitat by adopting or giving the gift of symbolic adoption of a koala. The adoption kit can be a soft toy, which also comes with a personalized adoption certificate, or a digital version, which allows you to receive everything by email, further reducing the environmental impact.
