New koala joeys have been born in the breeding sanctuary at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – worth celebrating today, National Threatened Species Day.

National Threatened Species Day shines an important spotlight on the work the ACT is doing to protect and conserve native species, environment minister Rebecca Vassarotti said – including koalas.

Koalas have not been found in the wild in the ACT for years, and may be extinct in the region. Wildlife experts warned last year that the animal was at risk of becoming functionally extinct across Australia. But the ACT Government is working on a draft plan to protect and preserve the koala.

“During the devastating fires in 2020, the ACT lost 80 percent of Namadgi National Park,” Ms Vassarotti said. “We are working hard to recover from the impact of those fires by helping to preserve the species that were put at risk and rebuild the habitats that were lost.

“Koalas are one of the species needing urgent support and intervention to protect them from extinction.

“With no known wild koala populations currently in the ACT, these fluffy native icons have experienced significant decline over the years and were formally listed as endangered under the Native Conservation Act 2014 this year.”

Consultation on the Draft Native Species Conservation Plan for the Koala closed earlier this year. The plan seeks to preserve habitat for the animal, investigate the feasibility of a breeding program at Tidbinbilla, and establish a plan to release koalas into the wild.

Ms Vassarotti said that respondents overwhelmingly supported the plan, which sent “a clear message that Canberrans want to see wild populations of Koala established and preserved in the ACT”.

A listening report detailing the feedback on the plan, as well as next steps on how the plan will be finalised and implemented, will be released in the coming months.

Ms Vassarotti encouraged every Canberran to visit the Eucalypt Forest at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and see the new joeys in person.

National Threatened Species Day, 7 September, marks the date that the Tasmanian Tiger was officially declared an extinct species in 1936, Ms Vassarotti said.

“It’s a stark reminder that the native species we respect and adore could slip away from us unless we act now…

“We’re in an extinction crisis, and the extinction of just one species is a sign of greater ecological collapse.

“Canberrans love the fact that we live in the bush capital of Australia; this includes a love for the species that come as a result of this title.

“The ACT Government is committed to helping native species thrive across the Territory. We have numerous programs in place to help conserve and protect a range of species, from the Murray Cod in our lakes, through to Superb Parrots nesting in mature native trees and the Northern Corroboree Frogs exploring our unique wetlands.”

Learn more about threatened and endangered species in the ACT on the ACT Environment website.

Read the Draft Native Species Conservation Plan for the Koala on the YourSay Conversations webpage.

If you spot any rare or threatened plants or animals in the ACT, take a photo and upload it to Canberra Nature Map.