Tree clearing may have killed 180 koalas in Queensland in two years, says wildlife group

World Wildlife Fund calls for public pressure on the Palaszczuk government to reduce habitat destruction

Tree clearing may have killed as many as 180 koalas in south-east Queensland in the two years after the former state government relaxed vegetation protection laws, according to an analysis by the World Wildlife Fund.

The environmental group says a crisis gripping koala populations has its root in a surge in tree clearing given the political green light in both Queensland and New South Wales.