Saving koalas is a serious business, but as Save the Koala month is held annually each September, this month is a time to have fun while raising much needed funds for the Australian Koala Foundation.
“We’ve carried over last year’s theme ‘Love is in the air’ to 2018, firstly because September is prime mating season for Koalas, but also because we want to spread the koala love as far as we can,” Deborah Tabart OAM, chief executive officer of the AKF, said.
The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is now 32 years old and has worked tirelessly for the koala since 1986.
Ms Tabart said that Save the Koala month is the AKF’s lifeblood, as they take no government funding.
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“When the AKF started, the board took the view that we must be completely independent of government funding so we can always be a voice for the koala,” she said .
“Our founding fathers were very wise and our strength is the trust we have endured from people from all over the world that love koalas.
“The koala needs help. It was listed as a vulnerable species in 2012 under federal laws. There was supposed to have been a recovery plan written by 2014 and it hasn’t happened. We, the AKF, want a Koala Protection Act – it will be the only way to save habitats,” Ms Tabart said.
In the meantime, Ms Tabart says we need the koala’s supporters to help, and as always there has been a plethora of fantastic ideas: cupcakes for koalas, haircuts, fun-runs and grand final parties.
If you would like to help in your local area, order a donation box from the AKF website at www.savethekoala.com/how-to-help/save-koala-month.
The AKF’s main focus is now enacting a Koala Protection Act with its main focus on protecting koala trees.
”So tell your friends, have fun, raise money and celebrate how special koalas are!” Ms Tabart said.
