Australia has listed the koala as a threatened species in parts of the country due to its dwindling population, officials say.
Environment Minister Tony Burke said koalas in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory are now considered "vulnerable".
Habitat loss, urban expansion, vehicle strikes, dog attacks and disease have contributed to their dwindling numbers.
But conservationists say the declaration should have been national.
Contrary to popular belief, koalas, which are native to Australia, are marsupials and not bears. They only eat the leaves of the eucalyptus tree and sleep for up to 20 hours a day.
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