Australia will spend an additional $50 million ($44.63 million Cdn) in the next four years to protect koala habitat and slow the decline of the vulnerable species, the government said on Saturday.

The marsupials native to Australia have been decimated by bushfires, disease and vehicles, with estimates of their numbers ranging from about 330,000 to no more than 100,000 in the wild.

“Koalas are one of Australia’s most loved and best recognized icons … and we are committed to protecting them for generations to come,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement.

The new package will take the government’s