There are few, if any, animals more iconically-Australian than the Koala.

Sadly, the once-thriving marsupial has suffered a drastic population decline as bushfires, land-clearing, and drought, ravage their eucalypt habitats. 

Koalas have now been listed as an endangered species across most of the east coast with the population estimated to be less than 100,000 and maybe even as few as 43,000.

For koala-loving Mavis Gersbach, the idea that the koala could soon be extinct in the wild is unthinkable.

“I get teary,” said 90-year-old Mavis. “Every time I put the news on, there is always something on fire or something else and it makes you sick… I'm afraid I'm too touchy.”

Mavis was moved enough by the plight of the koala to “adopt” one herself through the not-for-profit Australian Koala Foundation. 

The symbolic “adoption” program is a way for people to finance the work of saving koalas in the wild.

Mavis approached Orange City Life to ask if we would appeal to our readership to follow suit and adopt a koala or donate to the cause.

“I did and I thought to myself, ‘people wouldn't miss $20’ — even a pensioner out of their pension. I'd been mulling it over and came down here to see if you might put something in the paper to attract their attention — not the koalas, the people —  to see if we can just encourage people to adopt one,” said Mavis, who still dreams of seeing a koala for herself.

“I went to Queensland and we planned on looking for the koala park, but it didn't turn out, and I never did get to see a koala, I still haven't seen one live!”

Mavis adopted a koala through the Australian Koala Foundation, but there are a number of charitable organisations working to save the koala that could use your help. To get involved, go to: www.savethekoala.com/adopt-a-koala/