Koalaen reported functionally extinct. But the number of koalas has long been declining, according to the scientist.

Koalabjørnene in Australia has been hard hit by forest fires and long periods of drought.

Therefore, the reported koalaen now functionally extinct. It writes the magazine Forbes.

But koalaen has long been a pressing nature, which has had difficult living conditions in Australia, tells Elizabeth Heather Jakobsen Neilson, who researches the koalas and eucalyptus trees at the University of Copenhagen, denmark.

We have in recent years seen a declining number of koalas in the wild. This is due, among other things, for example, has been landscaped roads through the koalaernes habitat, which means that they have had difficulty to move around.

- Impacts of climate change has also become apparent. Over a period of ten years, we can see that koalaerne many cases, and there are fewer births of koalas, she says.

Functionally extinct means that a species ' population has become so small that it no longer plays any vital role in the ecosystem and no longer viable.

But it does not mean that they are completely extinct, stresses Elizabeth Heather Jakobsen Neilson.

İmajbet - There are still koalas, but the chance that they get the koalas, who are left, will survive, is not great. Therefore, there must be something, if the species is to survive, she says.

According to Deborah Tabart, president of Australia's Koalafond, is approximately 1000 koalas died in the fires. The fires have also destroyed large parts of the koalaernes habitat.

Koalaerne live almost exclusively by eukalyptustræets leaves, but the massive forest fires have destroyed large quantities of these trees.

This means, that quickly need to find new places to koalabjørnene, believes Elizabeth Heather Jakobsen Neilson.

- There are over 800 different species of eukalyptustræerne, but koalaerne are picky and will only eat from 25 kinds. Therefore, it is not so easy just to place them in a different area.

- But there is not a single solution. It would be best to establish several protected habitats for koalaen, then the remaining koalas can be better ensured, she says.

Australia's Koalafond estimates there are less than 100.000 koalas back.

/ritzau/