Last year, Australian bushfires caused way more damage than Amazon fires. They destroyed large areas of land and affected about a billion animals. Among the most affected were the natives of Australia - Koalas.

Thousands of Koalas died in Australian bushfires. Now, the next generation of Australia’s koala population is being born in captivity.

The Australian Reptile Park on the NSW Central Coast recently welcomed the arrival of Ash, the first koala joey born on-site since the last bushfires.

Zookeeper, Dan Rumsey, said Ash was born in January, but joeys stay in the pouch of their mother for up to seven months. And the caretakers found it safe, when they went to check on its well-being.

Ash, the koala baby, is joined by other new koala arrivals this year at Taronga Zoo, Wildlife Sydney and Melbourne Zoo.

“They’re ambassadors for koalas in the wild: the ones who truly suffered in the bushfires. Koalas are iconic and even though ours are bred in captivity, we like to think we’re helping the fairly decimated population. Ash represents the start of what we’re hoping to be another successful breeding season” Mr Rumsey, as saying.

Mr Rumsey said there were at least three more joeys in koala pouches at the Central Coast zoo. The Australian Reptile Park is on its way to beat the seven births seen last year.According to Mr Rumsey, Ash’s arrival is timely as the Australian Reptile Park is set to reopen for public on June 1, after two months of lockdown.

“We’re absolutely ecstatic to open our doors again. While I’ve been at work everyday, we know the animals have been missing the visitors. We’re taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our visitors, staff and animals and have implemented our COVID-Safe reopening plan.

“We’re absolutely ecstatic to open our doors again. While I’ve been at work everyday, we know the animals have been missing the visitors. We’re taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our visitors, staff and animals and have implemented our COVID-Safe reopening plan,” he reportedly said.

Atleast 5,000 koalas are estimated to have died in the Australian Bushfires, according to the report released by the global conservation group 'International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)'. That's 12 per cent of the animal's population in New South Wales (NSW).

These are, however, conservative figures, IFAW Wildlife Campaigner Josey Sharrad told CNN - the real numbers are higher.

"Koalas are particularly vulnerable to bushfires as they are slow moving and live in eucalyptus trees that burn quickly and intensely. When fires sweep through their homes, they often don't have time to escape, particularly in intense crown fires that rage through the treetops where they live," Sharrad was quoted as saying.

Nearly 45 million acres of land burned across Australia, leaving the koala habitat unsuitable for living.

Conservationists are trying to slowly rebuild the Koala population by breeding them in captivity.