Australia's nature laws fail koalas as habitat destruction accelerates

Australia's nature laws are failing koalas, with more habitat legally approved for clearing in 2025 than any year since the species was listed as threatened. This year, 3,958 hectares of koala habitat have been approved for destruction across eight projects, including a coal mine. Conservationists argue this demonstrates a "total failure" of current laws to protect the endangered marsupial. The analysis comes as New South Wales announced a Great Koala National Park. Habitat destruction and fragmentation remain major threats to koalas, listed as endangered in 2022.