AAP

Koalas in NSW, Queensland and the ACT will be classified as vulnerable under a protected listing by Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke.

Mr Burke says koala numbers have dropped by 40 per cent in Queensland and by a third in NSW over the past two decades.

The koala will be listed as vulnerable on the threatened species list following advice by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee.

“On a species as iconic as the koala, I really don’t think I could have credibly said to the Australian people don’t worry, you might not have any more left in Queensland the way things are going,” he told ABC Radio on Monday.

“You can go to South Australia if you want to see one.”

Mr Burke said developers will have to account for the koala listing when making building applications.

“If someone wants to make a development there is a tougher hurdle as a result of a species being endangered,” he said.

“That is what environmental legislation is designed to do.”