Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is facing a deforestation crisis, with an area equivalent to the MCG being destroyed every 86 seconds. This is having a devastating impact on the country's native wildlife, with millions of animals dying, injured, or displaced as a result. From 2016 to 2021, 2.4 million hectares of forest and woodland habitats were bulldozed or cleared in Queensland and New South Wales, leading to the deaths and displacement of an estimated 100 million animals. This figure has doubled previous estimates, and the true number of animal deaths is likely even higher as deforestation continues to accelerate in Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of animals killed, injured, or displaced every year | 100 million |
| Number of animals killed, injured, or displaced between 1998 and 2015 | 87 million |
| Number of koalas killed every year | 1,200 |
| Number of animals admitted into RSPCA Queensland's care every year | 24,000 |
| Number of koalas admitted into RSPCA Queensland's care every year | 500 |
| Area of forest and woodland habitats bulldozed or cleared from 2016 to 2021 | 2.4 million hectares |
| Area of forest and woodland habitats bulldozed or cleared from 1998 to 2015 | 517,000 hectares |
| Area of forest and woodland habitats bulldozed or cleared from 2000 to 2017 | 7.7 million hectares |
| Area of forest and woodland habitats bulldozed or cleared in Queensland from 2018 to 2021 | 311,809 hectares |
| Area of forest and woodland habitats bulldozed or cleared in NSW from 2018 to 2021 | 85,954 hectares |
| Area of forest and woodland habitats bulldozed or cleared in Queensland and NSW from 2016 to 2020 | 2.4 million hectares |
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What You'll Learn
Over 100 million animals killed, injured or displaced annually
Australia is facing a deforestation crisis, with an area equivalent to the MCG being destroyed every 86 seconds. In the five years from 2016 to 2021, 2.4 million hectares of forest and woodland habitats were bulldozed or cleared in Queensland and New South Wales—over twice the size of greater Sydney. This destruction has led to the deaths, injuries, and displacement of about 100 million animals each year.
The report, commissioned by advocacy groups Greenpeace and RSPCA Queensland, examined government data from 2016 to 2021 and found that animal numbers were twice previous estimates. According to the report author, Martin Taylor from the University of Queensland, "We came up with a pretty startling figure, about 100 million... most of that is reptiles." He also estimated that about 1,200 koalas lose their habitat and ultimately die each year as a result of clearing.
The Wacol facility of RSPCA Queensland was built to accommodate roughly 8,000 animals each year, but the real figure currently sits at around 24,000, three times more than the facility's capacity. Dr Tim Portas, Wildlife Veterinary Director at RSPCA Queensland, stated that little has improved for wild animals since the last report on the crisis in 2017. He also noted that a significant proportion of the 24,000 wildlife patients admitted to their wildlife hospital each year are due to the long-term and ongoing effects of habitat destruction and fragmentation.
The report found that the primary driver of land clearing in Queensland and NSW is livestock pasture development, specifically for beef production. Together, these two states account for 90% of land clearing. The remaining 10% can be attributed to cropping and plantations, urban development, and forest logging.
Existing nature laws in Australia are weak, not enforced, and failing native wildlife. Stronger federal, state, and territory laws are needed to address the ongoing, unmitigated suffering and killing of native wildlife resulting from deforestation.
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Queensland and NSW are deforestation hotspots
Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) are among the worst areas in Australia for deforestation. Queensland clears more land each year than the rest of Australia combined, and its rate of vegetation destruction is comparable to the infamous deforestation in the Amazon. From 2004 to 2017, Queensland and NSW alone cleared almost one million hectares of land.
In 2013, the Liberal National Party's Campbell Newman gutted Queensland's land-clearing rules, leading to a huge upsurge in habitat destruction. Environmental groups led a campaign to bring back the laws, and in 2018, the Queensland Labor government tightened land-clearing rules. However, it is still too early to tell whether these changes have had a positive impact.
In 2015-16, NSW gave permission to clear over 7,000 hectares of native vegetation—an increase of 800% in three years. The NSW government has also weakened land-clearing rules, with habitat destruction increasing as a result.
A joint report by Greenpeace Australia Pacific and RSPCA Queensland revealed that from 2016 to 2021, 2.4 million hectares of forest and woodland habitats were bulldozed or cleared in Queensland and NSW. This destruction has had a devastating impact on native wildlife, with 100 million animals killed, injured, or displaced in these areas every year. This figure includes approximately 1,200 koalas killed from deforestation annually.
Eastern Australia, including Queensland and NSW, is considered a global deforestation hotspot, the only one in the developed world. WWF projects that Australia will lose 3 million hectares of trees in the next 15 years, threatening the Great Barrier Reef and Australia's rich biodiversity.
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Koalas, gliders, birds and reptiles are among the affected species
Koalas, gliders, birds and reptiles are among the species affected by deforestation in Australia.
Koalas
The koala is one of the species most affected by deforestation in Australia. The Australian timber industry is cutting down thousands of hectares of koala habitat, with journalists and activists presenting alarming evidence of the impact on these animals. Many koalas are killed or severely injured by huge tree harvesters, with some loggers reporting that up to two koalas per hour are killed. The slow and horrible deaths of these animals have been documented, with injured koalas left to die on the plantations. Environmental and animal rights activists have lobbied for the protection of koala habitats and for the species to be recognised as endangered. The federal government has officially recognised koalas in Queensland and New South Wales as endangered, but those in other states are not covered by this protection. It is estimated that only 50,000 to 100,000 koalas remain in Australia.
Gliders
Gliders, such as the greater glider, have also been impacted by deforestation in Australia. Greater gliders were once abundant along the country's east coast, but their numbers have plummeted by as much as 80% over the last 20 years, leading to their classification as an endangered species in 2022. In addition to habitat destruction from logging and deforestation, the 2019-2020 bushfires destroyed nearly a third of their likely habitat. Conservation actions for greater gliders include translocations and the installation of hi-tech nest boxes, as the tree hollows where they nest take up to 250 years to form.
Birds
Deforestation in Australia has had a significant impact on bird species, particularly those that depend on specific forest habitats. For example, swift parrots, the fastest parrot in the world, require eucalyptus forests in southeastern mainland Australia and Tasmania to survive. However, these forests have been devastated by deforestation and deliberate logging of their breeding habitats. As a result, the swift parrot population has been reduced to around 500 individuals, and the species is considered one of the five Australian birds most likely to be extinct by 2041 if changes are not made to protect their forest habitats. It is estimated that for every 100 hectares of native woodland cleared in Australia, about 2,000 birds will die.
Reptiles
Reptiles are another group of species heavily impacted by deforestation in Australia. It is estimated that for every 100 hectares of native woodland cleared, approximately 15,000 reptiles will die. As the bulk of animals injured, displaced, and killed by deforestation in Australia are reptiles, the loss of their habitats has had a significant impact on their populations.
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2.4 million hectares of forest destroyed from 2016-2021
From 2016 to 2021, 2.4 million hectares of forest and woodland habitats were bulldozed or cleared in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. This is over twice the size of greater Sydney. Queensland alone accounted for more than 2 million hectares of this figure, with large swathes of possible koala habitat being destroyed.
The primary driver of Australia's deforestation crisis is the beef industry, with 90% of the bushland destruction recorded over this period being attributed to the development of livestock pastures. The remaining 10% is attributed to factors such as urban development and forest logging.
The destruction of these forests has had a devastating impact on native wildlife populations, with 100 million animals killed, injured, or displaced in the 2.4 million hectares of destroyed forest and bushland. This includes the killing of approximately 1,200 koalas from deforestation every year. The Wacol wildlife hospital in Queensland, built to accommodate roughly 8,000 animals per year, currently takes in around 24,000, three times its capacity.
The ongoing suffering and death of wildlife due to forest destruction have led to calls for stronger nature laws to protect Australia's unique and globally treasured native wildlife. Existing laws have been deemed inadequate to prevent the unmitigated killing of native wildlife resulting from deforestation.
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Weak nature laws are failing native wildlife
Australia is home to a diverse range of wildlife found nowhere else in the world. However, the country has a poor track record of protecting its wildlife and their habitats. In fact, Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world. In the last decade, three native species have gone extinct, and many more, including the parma wallaby, have been added to the threatened species list.
The country's weak nature laws are failing its native wildlife. Despite 86% of Australians wanting stronger nature laws, the government has failed to deliver on its promise to reform these laws. The EPBC Act, or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, has not been effective in protecting the environment and wildlife. In the last 20 years since the laws were passed, there have been countless reports of how the EPBC Act has failed to protect the environment. The act includes exemptions like Regional Forest Agreements for the logging industry, which do not provide the intended protection. For instance, in the case of VicForests, critical habitats of the greater glider and Leadbeater's possums were destroyed despite the act.
The government's plan to establish strengthened environmental standards and an independent Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce the law is a step in the right direction. However, the plan lacks urgency and fails to consider the impacts of climate change on nature.
The deforestation crisis in Australia is accelerating and pushing native wildlife to the brink of extinction. From 2016 to 2021, 2.4 million hectares of forest and woodland habitats were bulldozed or cleared in Queensland and New South Wales. This destruction has resulted in 100 million native animals being displaced, harmed, or killed every year.
The WWF-Australia's My Backyard Tool is an interactive way for people to learn about threatened species in their area and take action to strengthen nature laws and save wildlife. It is imperative that Australia's weak nature laws are strengthened to protect its unique and treasured native wildlife.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that 100 million animals are killed, injured or displaced every year in Australia due to deforestation.
In the five years from 2016 to 2021, 2.4 million hectares of forest and woodland habitats were bulldozed or cleared in Queensland and New South Wales. Since 2000, 10 million hectares have been cleared, including 3 million hectares of remnant forests.
Beef production is the primary driver of deforestation in Australia, with 90% of bushland destruction recorded over the last five years attributed to the development of livestock pastures.
