Australian authorities will provide $35 million to protect and restore the habitat of koalas. On Saturday, January 29, CNN reported.

Koalas are one of Australia's most beloved and recognizable symbols, both here at home and around the world, and we are committed to protecting them for generations to come. The money will be used to restore koala habitat, improve our understanding of koala populations, support education on koala handling and care, and enhance research on the health effects of koalas, Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office said in a statement.

Investments will be made over the next four years.

According to the channel, since 2018, about 30% of Australian koalas have died due to forest fires, drought and other factors. In addition, the koala population is threatened by the spread of chlamydia among these animals. This venereal disease can cause blindness and cysts in the animal's reproductive tract, which can lead to infertility or even death. As noted by CNN, scientists are now testing vaccines against chlamydia to protect animals.

The worst wildfires broke out in Australia in the fall of 2019. More than a billion animals have died as a result. For a long time, rescuers were unable to stop the fire, until heavy rains came to the region and extinguished more than 8 million hectares of forest and about 2 thousand residential buildings.