Viral photo of a koala at a Victorian service station was called ‘cute’ – but wildlife experts say it shows a grim reality for the endangered animal
Wildlife lovers have raised concerns over what appeared to be a heartwarming photo of a koala spotted at a petrol station, much to the delight of locals.
The image recently uploaded to Facebook showed the native Australian animal recently sitting on the ground of a petrol station near a highway in Portland, south-west Victoria.
The photo, which has since gone viral, shows the marsupial staring at a man and a young girl.
A few meters away, a man is seen filling up his car, seemingly unaware of the animal's appearance in the unlikely location.
People who commented on the photo online thought it was 'cute', but for others, like koala activist Helen Oakley, it is a grim sign for the iconic Australian animal.
A koala (pictured) was spotted at a gas station in Victoria, much to the delight of locals, but the sighting has others concerned
“When I look at that photo I think how sad it is,” Ms. Oakley said Yahoo.
Ms Oakley, who lives in Portland, said the sighting of the animal at the petrol station was a grim sign that koalas were losing their habitat in surrounding bushland areas.
'It's very difficult for people to see the bigger picture. They just said, 'Oh, there's a cute little koala, let's take pictures,'” she said.
“They are lying on the ground looking for their tree that has been cut down with a chainsaw.”
Ms Oakley is concerned that the iconic animals will be further displaced as more land is cleared to make way for commercial buildings and infrastructure.
Last year she saw a koala that had climbed a utility pole on a suburban street.
She arranged for the animal to be rescued after the koala climbed the pole when nearby trees were felled by the council.
Wildlife advocates fear koalas (stock image) are slowly losing their habitat as land is cleared for commercial buildings and infrastructure
Koalas are at risk of becoming an endangered species in Victoria after hundreds of blue gum plantations were cleared across the state.
The animals usually live in trees and open woodlands and feed on eucalyptus leaves as their main food source.
Koalas were listed as endangered in NSW and Queensland in February 2022.
Fewer than 20,000 animals remain in NSW, while the devastating Black Summer bushfires killed 8,000 koalas.