Animal rights activists gathered outside Parliament House this morning, in a counter-protest to yesterday’s farmers’ rally. They say koalas are dying at an alarming rate, and without stronger environmental protection laws, they’ll become extinct.

Gemma Niwa reports.

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Chanting: “Save our forests! Save our wildlife!”

Koalas: vulnerable, endangered and near extinction.

Environmental conservationists say with an animal dying in Queensland every second, time is ticking away.

They say land-clearing is to blame and they’re pushing for stronger deforestation laws.

Gemma Plesman, Wilderness Society Queensland: “We need strong laws that protect the 45 million native animals that are being killed every single year.”

And the RSPCA can’t save them because the majority of land clearing takes place in remote areas.

Mandy Paterson, RSPCA: “Most of these animals are killed directly, or die slowly.”

Today’s demonstration was in response to yesterday’s farmers’ rally these eco-warriors calling for even stronger laws to protect our native animals, including our koalas.

With both the cute koala, Beaumont, and the countdown truck roaming the city they hope their message will be heard.

Doctor Martin Taylor, WWF Conservation Scientist: “This is an emergency, and it’s time for the State Government to do something about it.”

Gemma Niwa, QUT News.