Koalas are in big trouble -- with one of the highest extinction rates in the world.
The marsupials were recently referred to as "functionally extinct," and although some experts argue over the designation as a tad extreme, they agree that koalas are in major trouble.
Between bushfires, hunting during the 1920s and urbanization that separates them from one another and removes their food source, the cute and cuddly grey Australian icons have declined dramatically.
Deborah Tabart OAM, chairman of the Australian Koala Foundation, estimated over 1,000 koalas may have been killed in the last two months due to fires and deforestation.
Just last week a video of a woman literally taking off her shirt to save a burning koala went viral.
More than 300 koalas are feared to have been killed this year. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital even started a GoFundMe account to raise money for the animals' care. The hospital said at least 31 koalas have been brought in to get hydrated and treated for burns.
According to the Australian Koala Foundation, it's estimated around 43,000 koalas are left in the wild in Australia. They're listed as "vulnerable" under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
It was Christine Adams-Hosking, a conservationist at the University of Queensland responsible for the claim that koalas were all but 'functionally extinct,' 'a term that refers to a species whose population has declined to the point where it can no longer play a significant role in their ecosystem.
Experts are debating as to whether the koalas are actually 'functionally extinct' or not.
Rebecca Johnson, wildlife forensic scientist & chief scientist at the Australian Museum told KNX In-Depth hosts Charles Feldman and Mike Simpson that fortunatley the koalas aren't yet 'functionally extinct.'