KOALAS - our cute, furry Australian icons - are constantly in the public eye, here and overseas.
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Sadly, many Australians have never seen a koala in the wild, and as populations continue to decline the situation is looking grim for these special animals.
The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is working hard to change this, and you can help by joining their annual fundraiser in September - Save The Koala Month.
Deborah Tabart OAM, chief executive officer of the AKF says that this is the chance for ordinary Aussies to join a good cause and make a difference.
"Here at the AKF we take absolutely no government funding," Ms Tabart said.
"'I should mention, that's the way we like it because it means we can stay neutral, speaking freely for koalas and concentrating on what they really need.
"We rely on the kindness and generosity of the public to get on with the job, and with koala populations disappearing faster than ever in 2015, this has never been more important,' she said
"Save The Koala Month is our lifeblood."
The AKF is calling on people around the world to get creative and think of new ways to raise money in September.
Ms Tabart said there'd been a plethora of fantastic ideas in the past, including cupcakes for koalas, haircuts, fun-runs and grand-final parties for koalas.
Otherwise, you can order a donation box from the AKF website to leave at school or work, depositing your funds to AKF at the end of September.
Koala populations are under threat, primarily due to habitat destruction, which leads to disease, dog attacks and road accidents.
The AKF's main focus is now enacting a Koala Protection Act, a simple piece of legislation that has been written by brilliant legal minds, with it's main focus on protecting koala trees.
"So tell your friends, have fun, raise money and celebrate how special koalas are for the whole month,' Ms Tabart said.
Head to www.savethekoala.com or the Australian Koala Foundation's Facebook page for more information.
