Australia's koala numbers have dropped by almost 30% in three years
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Many koalas were rescued by charity organisations when the country experienced extreme temperatures and wildfires
More needs to be done to protect koalas and their habitats, according to a charity.
Recent droughts, heatwaves and bushfires have all been blamed for the declining wild koala population in Australia.
A study in the country shows that the numbers have dropped by almost 30% - from 80,000 koalas in 2018, to just 58,000 in 2021.
Now the Australian Koala Foundation is urging the government to do more to protect the creature's habitat. The independent group said the country needs a koala protection law.
In June, the Australian government asked for public comment on a national recovery plan for New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, after wildfire damage, and asked whether the koala's threatened species protection status should be raised from "vulnerable" to "endangered" - that could lead to stricter protection rules and more funding for conservation.
Details of the recovery plan are due soon.
Why is this happening?
A medic looks after a koala after a wildfire
Higher temperatures in certain areas have meant that many habitats have been destroyed by the lack of food, shelter, water and in some cases, by wildfires.
Another reason for the drop in numbers, is that people have been buying land to build property on, which has also affected the marsupial's habitats.
The Australian Koala Foundation said the figures showed a "disturbing trend".
Researchers say because the koala moves around and they live in lots of different habitats - from coastal islands and tall eucalyptus trees, to woodland forests - they can be difficult to track.
Things you might not know about the koala
WATCH: Kirsty from Edinburgh Zoo has some koala-ty facts about koalas!
1. They are not bears
Baby koalas are called joeys
When a koala is too young to eat a normal diet of leaves, the mother koala feeds her young, or joey, by making a special poo for them to drink.
2: Koalas sleep - a LOT
Koalas can sleep from 19-22 hours A DAY
Yes, a koala will sleep for a massive 22 hours a day!
Koalas need to sleep for between 18 and 22 hours because the things they eat, eucalyptus leaves, take lots of time and energy to digest.
They are usually tucked up fast asleep on the highest branches of a eucalyptus tree.
The word 'koala' means 'no drink' or 'no water' in the Aboriginal language.
3: Koalas eat - a LOT
Before a nice 22-hour nap, koalas will eat as many leaves as they can
Koalas will eat 1.13 kilograms of a leaves a day - that's as heavy as a bag of rice.
It's said that they eat so many eucalyptus leaves that their fur smells like eucalyptus.
They are herbivores - which means they don't eat meat or fish - just lots of leaves.
They hop from branch to branch using their claws to grab them.
Eucalyptus leaves are poisonous to most other animals, but not koalas! All the more for them to enjoy.
Like many animals, including kittens, koala joeys are born blind.
4: Koalas have no sweat glands
Temperatures can hit up to 40 degrees in Australia, so these trees keep koalas nice and cool
That's right, koalas don't sweat.
Instead they stay cool by staying as high up in the trees as they can.
What better place to take an afternoon snooze?
When koalas are born they're only two centimetres long - that's the same size as a jellybean.
5: Koalas are only native to Australia
There are only two zoos in the United Kingdom which have koalas
There are some zoos around the world which have captive koalas, but they are only naturally found in Australia.
They live in woody, bushy areas high up in eucalyptus trees.
The koalas really make the most of the eucalyptus trees - using them to shelter, sleep in, and eat.
Koalas talk to each other by making a noise like a snore and then a belch, known as a "bellow".
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