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Australia has a unique ecology, with many of its flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. However, since European settlement, Australia has lost hundreds of species to extinction, with many more at risk. This is due to a variety of factors, including habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change. The country has the highest mammal extinction rate in the world, and nearly 1 in 3 of its unique mammals are at risk of extinction. This article will explore the animals that are close to extinction in Australia and the efforts being made to protect them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Australian endemic species listed as extinct since 1788 | 100 |
| Number of native animals now officially listed as extinct | 67 |
| Number of native animals and plants on Australia's threatened species list | Over 2,000 |
| Number of native animals at risk of being lost forever | Over 570 |
| Number of unique Australian mammals that have become extinct in the past 200 years | 39 |
| Number of unique Australian mammals at risk of extinction | Nearly 1 in 3 |
| Number of extinctions in the last decade | 3 |
| Mammals most at risk of extinction | Woylies, Numbats, Bandicoots, Bilbies, Quokkas, Quolls, Rock-wallabies, Eastern bettong, Eastern quoll, Golden bandicoot, Golden-backed tree-rat |
| Birds most at risk of extinction | Eastern Regent Parrot |
| Reptiles most at risk of extinction | Australian terrestrial snake and lizard species |
| Frogs most at risk of extinction | Great barred frog |
| Fish most at risk of extinction | Australian freshwater fishes |
| Butterflies most at risk of extinction | Australian fritillary |
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What You'll Learn
- Causes: invasive species, hunting, habitat loss, climate change, fire, pollution
- Conservation efforts: reintroduction, monitoring, restoring habitats, legislation
- Threatened species: woylies, numbats, bandicoots, bilbies, quolls, rock-wallabies
- Extinct species: Paradise Parrot, Desert Bandicoot, Toolache Wallaby, Thylacine
- Impact: domino effect on other species, loss of unique Australian wildlife
Causes: invasive species, hunting, habitat loss, climate change, fire, pollution
Australia is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, but many of these species are now at risk of extinction. Since European colonisation in 1788, 100 endemic species have been declared extinct or extinct in the wild. This includes species lost due to invasive species, hunting, habitat loss, climate change, fire, and pollution.
Invasive Species
Invasive species have been a significant driver of native species extinction in Australia. Feral cats, foxes, dingoes, and birds of prey are some of the introduced predators that have contributed to the decline of native animals. For example, the Numbat, a small to medium-sized marsupial native to Western Australia, is vulnerable to predation by these animals due to its size. Similarly, the Woylie, a rabbit-sized marsupial, has experienced a rapid population decline due to the introduction of foxes and cats.
Hunting
While not mentioned as frequently as other causes, hunting does pose a threat to some species. The Numbat, for instance, is hunted by feral cats, foxes, dingoes, and birds of prey.
Habitat Loss
Habitat loss is a critical factor in the endangerment of many Australian species. The Eastern Curlew, for instance, has declined by more than 80% in the past 40 years due to habitat destruction and alteration of coastal wetlands along its migratory path. Urban development, flood mitigation, agriculture, and pollution are all contributing factors to this loss.
Climate Change
As temperatures rise, species that depend on cooler habitats are becoming more vulnerable to climate change. The Mountain Pygmy-possum, for example, is a tiny possum that hibernates for up to seven months under the snow during winter. As temperatures increase, their habitat is impacted, threatening their survival.
Fire
Bushfires have also pushed many Australian species towards extinction. Nearly 50 threatened species are believed to have had more than 80% of their range affected by fires, and many others have had significant portions of their habitats burned. The Kangaroo Island Dunnart, an endangered mouse-like marsupial, is one of the worst-affected mammals.
Pollution
While not mentioned as frequently as other causes, pollution does play a role in the decline of some species. The Eastern Curlew, for instance, is threatened by pollution and habitat alteration along its migratory path.
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Conservation efforts: reintroduction, monitoring, restoring habitats, legislation
Australia's unique wildlife, which has evolved in isolation, is threatened by introduced species. Since European settlement, hundreds of species have become extinct in Australia. As of March 2021, the Australian Government listed an additional 13 species as extinct under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, bringing the total number of endemic species lost to 100.
Reintroduction
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) is implementing Australia's most comprehensive wildlife reintroduction program, returning animals to landscapes where they have been lost, restoring ecosystems, and preventing extinctions. AWC's safe havens currently protect 15 nationally threatened mammal species, as well as several locally extinct mammals. For example, the Numbat, a small to medium-sized marsupial and the faunal emblem of Western Australia, has been successfully reintroduced to AWC's fenced areas. At Mt Gibson in southwest Western Australia, AWC has released eight species of nationally threatened mammals to a 7,838-hectare fenced feral predator-free area. At Newhaven in Central Australia, a 9,450-hectare fenced feral predator-free area, AWC plans to reintroduce the Burrowing Bettong and Golden Bandicoot.
Monitoring
Scientific research and monitoring guide AWC's work, measuring ecosystem health, understanding threats, and refining land management. For example, a project will study two subpopulations of the vulnerable hooded plover between Wollongong and Bateman's Bay. While there are only about 60 adult hooded plovers left across New South Wales, their south coast population has more than doubled in the last five years under the current management regime, which is designed to improve the security of their habitat.
Restoring Habitats
The Australian Government's Threatened Species Strategy identifies improving habitat as one of its priorities for action. The Government is investing more than $700 million over four years in the Green Army Programme, building to 1,500 teams of young people by 2018 undertaking conservation activities. The Green Army Programme has already supplied over 270 projects directly supporting threatened species, with a goal of ensuring at least 80% of Green Army projects support threatened species by providing suitable habitat. The Australian Government has committed to planting 20 million trees by 2020 to improve native vegetation and habitat that supports native species.
Legislation
The Australian constitution does not mention native animals, and responsibility for animal welfare is largely retained by the states and territories via a fragmented and complex system of regulatory management. There is a plethora of legislation, regulation, codes of practice, and guidelines intended to guide volunteer wildlife carers who rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned native wildlife. Australian animal law is similar to the legislation of other nations in that there are laws that allow extermination, culling, and harming animals, while other laws protect animals from being killed, harvested, or harmed.
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Threatened species: woylies, numbats, bandicoots, bilbies, quolls, rock-wallabies
Australia's unique wildlife is under threat. Since European settlement, hundreds of species have become extinct, and nearly one in three of Australia's unique mammals is at risk of extinction. The main causes are habitat destruction, invasive predators, inappropriate fires, and climate change.
The woylie, also known as the brush-tailed bettong, is an endangered rabbit-sized marsupial found only in Australia. Once widespread and abundant, the woylie played an important role in desert ecosystems by dispersing fungal spores that helped native plants grow. However, predation by introduced foxes and cats, disease, competition with rabbits, changes in fire regimes, and grazing animals have caused a rapid decline in their numbers.
The numbat is a small to medium-sized marsupial and the faunal emblem of Western Australia. Numbats survive in two naturally occurring populations in the southwest of Western Australia and in protected reserves in New South Wales and South Australia. Their diet consists solely of termites, so they need to be active during the day to find food. Due to their size, numbats are vulnerable to predation by feral cats, foxes, dingoes, and birds of prey.
Bandicoots, bilbies, and quolls were thought to be locally extinct for decades until they were released as part of the Wild Deserts project. Ecologists hope that these native species will adapt and survive in their new home, positively impacting the entire ecosystem.
Rock-wallabies, or wallabies, are among Australia's threatened wildlife. They are found in rugged ranges and red earth landscapes.
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Extinct species: Paradise Parrot, Desert Bandicoot, Toolache Wallaby, Thylacine
Since European colonisation in 1788, Australia has lost about 100 native plants and animal species to extinction, with an estimated 27 of those extinctions occurring since the 1960s. The primary causes of this are invasive species, habitat destruction, and predation by or competition with feral animals.
The Paradise Parrot (Psephotellus pulcherimus), a stunningly beautiful bird, was last seen in the late 1920s. Its extinction is attributed to human-induced environmental changes, including excessive and poorly timed burning of grasslands, trapping for the aviary trade, and the presence of feral cats.
The Desert Bandicoot, which lived on sandplains and dunes with spinifex and tussock grass flats, is also believed to have gone extinct due to foxes and cats. Large fires that reduced their food sources and shelter may have contributed to their demise as well.
The Toolache Wallaby, unfortunately, could not be located during my search. However, it is likely that invasive species, habitat destruction, and feral animals are the main causes of its extinction, as is the case with many other Australian species.
The Thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian Tiger, became extinct in mainland Australia around 3,200 years ago, coinciding with the earliest records of the dingo. Its extinction is believed to be partly caused by competition with dingoes for prey. The last known Thylacine died in 1936, and since then, there have been numerous searches and reported sightings, but none have been confirmed.
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Impact: domino effect on other species, loss of unique Australian wildlife
Australia is home to a wide array of unique flora and fauna, but many of these species are now at risk of extinction. This trend has been ongoing since the colonisation of Australia by Europeans in 1788, with 100 endemic species now listed as extinct or extinct in the wild. The actual number of extinctions is likely to be much higher than those recognised in formal lists.
The main causes of species extinction in Australia are habitat destruction, invasive predators, inappropriate fires, and the increasing impacts of a changing climate. These factors have pushed many native animals to the brink of extinction, and if action is not taken, more species will be lost forever.
The loss of these unique Australian species will have a significant domino effect on other species and the country's overall biodiversity. For example, the decline in the population of the Gouldian Finch, a native bird, will impact the availability of food for its predators. Similarly, the introduction of toxic Cane Toads has threatened the Dasyurus hallucatus, a spotted marsupial, forcing them to seek refuge on offshore islands.
The Eastern Bettong, a small marsupial, has been reintroduced to Yiraalidya National Park as part of a multi-species reintroduction program. This program aims to restore ecosystem processes to the landscape and prevent further extinctions. The Black-flanked Rock Wallaby, another endangered marsupial, is also making a comeback in various parts of Western Australia by controlling or excluding introduced predators like cats and foxes.
The unique wildlife of Australia is a legacy that defines and distinguishes the country. However, with weak nature laws and ongoing threats, there is a real risk of losing these iconic species forever. It is essential to take action and implement stronger protections for nature to prevent further extinctions and preserve Australia's biodiversity.
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Frequently asked questions
The main factors causing animal extinctions in Australia include habitat destruction, invasive species, hunting, livestock grazing, modified hydrology, and climate change.
More than 2,000 species are listed as threatened, with over 50% of these endangered or critically endangered.
Some animals that are close to extinction in Australia include the Woylie, Numbat, Bandicoot, Bilby, Quoll, Rock-Wallaby, Mountain Pygmy-Possum, and the Black-flanked Rock Wallaby.
Losing native species in Australia can have a domino effect on the ecosystem, as each species plays a role in helping the broader ecosystem flourish. For example, the loss of Burrowing Bettongs and Brush-tailed Bettongs contributed to the decline of the Australian Sandalwood tree, which faces threats to its survival.
Various organizations are working to protect and restore habitats, manage invasive species, and raise awareness about the extinction crisis in Australia. Traditional Owners, communities, organizations, businesses, and individuals are collaborating to address this issue.
