A $50 million "initial" wildlife recovery fund from the Morrison government merely hints at the scale of devastation this summer's extreme bushfires have wrought on native flora and fauna.

Not only have the fires killed vast numbers of threatened species, their extent and intensity has severely damaged the condition of what were previously healthy populations of common plants and animals.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley said Australia's koala population has taken an "extraordinary hit". Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Environment Minister Sussan Ley said Australia's koala population has taken an "extraordinary hit" in the fires and could be listed as "endangered" as she announced a $50 million funding commitment to help animal populations devastated by the fires.

Koala populations across the country are not all impacted by the fires. Koalas are listed as vulnerable in northern NSW and south-east Queensland, and the fires have likely put them under more pressure there.