# Victoria’s koalas in chronically poor health, population half previous estimate

https://mins.news/en/item/51982

- The Guardian, 2026-09-09 20:23 UTC
- Science
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/10/victorias-koalas-in-chronically-poor-health-and-population-is-half-what-was-previously-estimated

> A report completed for Victoria’s government found a higher-than-expected share of koalas in chronically poor health and welfare across seven regions. It estimated 217,000 koalas in 2023 and 224,800 in 2024, compared with a previous estimate of 460,000 because of different methods. Of 68 koalas assessed, 29 were euthanised on welfare grounds. The government delayed publication for more than a year before announcing $2.6m for conservation.