Australia lists the koala as 'vulnerable' species

Habitat loss, urban expansion, vehicle strikes, dog attacks and disease have contributed to their dwindling numbers.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. The current size of the koala population is unclear, according to the BBC’s Phil Mercer, with estimates varying from several hundred thousand to as few as 43,000. In New South Wales and Queensland, the numbers have fallen by as much as 40% since 1990.