This is supported by recent counts undertaken by Birds Australia (BA), an organisation of birdlovers and conservationists, which among other things monitors bird populations across our country. Breeding programs are underway, and habitat protection in national parks and through private purchase of wilderness areas is easing the pressure on these species.Īs well as focussing on endangered species, we should also bear in mind that many other species have declining populations it is just that their numbers have not yet fallen to the critically low threshold where they are classified as endangered. There is a positive note however – much work is being done to protect these creatures. Unfortunately, more species are added to the list than are removed from it. The list of Australian wildlife species classified as endangered is long and growing longer. Fortunately, while the problems they pose are difficult, most are not insurmountable, and they certainly can be managed so as to lessen their impact on wildlife.Īnd, finally, I hope to end on a positive note, examining the many things we can do in our everyday lives to help, and also to let you know of the wonderful work being done around Australia by some passionate and energetic individuals and organizations, doing their level best to give these creatures a future. These reasons are many and varied, and often inter-related. Then we will have a sobering look at the reasons our wildlife is under threat. Environmentalists sometimes refer to this as the iceberg effect – that is, that while we may be aware of one or two endangered species within an ecosystem, in fact all members of the ecosystem face similar challenges and pressures. I hope to achieve two things here – firstly to make people more aware of these special creatures and their unique features, and secondly to show that their struggles are representative of challenges facing the ecosystems in which they live. Let’s start by looking at some of the species under threat. So, I wondered, how could I write a post on endangered wildlife and not simply fill everyone with despair, gloom and guilt, and make them flee for solace to their Play Station 2 or a re-run of Sex and the City?

We still have much to learn about the subtleties and intricacies of nature, so can only guess as to the overall impact of every additional extinction on the whole environment. At another level, every species forms an integral link within the environment, so each time we remove one species, other species will be adversely affected. I think we have a duty to future generations to leave as many species on our planet as we can. Well, once these creatures are gone, obviously we will never get to see them again, but we also remove the opportunity for our children, grandchildren and every generation beyond to see them. Why bother, you might ask, and I must admit it is easy to grow pessimistic about the whole issue. Let’s not add to that record if we can help it! As I wrote in the introduction to the earlier marsupials post on this site, Australia holds the unfortunate record for mammal extinctions in the modern world. Unfortunately the Lesser Bilby isn’t alone. When you see a real, live Greater Bilby, its bigger and more robust cousin, although it too is a delicate, fragile creature under threat of extinction, you realise that the Lesser Bilby stood no chance at all against efficient feral predators and environmental degradation.

Call it what you like, it is now but a memory. The delicate Lesser Bilby, once seen in the central desert regions, is gone.

In fact many already have, never to be seen again. Of course, if we all did that, many Australian species of marsupial, bird, reptile and amphibian, not to mention plants, would disappear in the blink of an eye. As a result we pretend it isn’t there and move on to something easier, or go see a movie, or eat some chocolate….or do whatever it is that we do to avoid reality. I soon realised that my initial reaction symbolised how we all feel about this issue – basically that it’s too big to deal with. “Endangered wildlife” isn’t the theme for a post, it’s a lifetime’s work. Where do you start on a topic like this? When Nirbeeja suggested this as a good theme for a new post, I must admit to feeling completely overwhelmed.

Gouldian finch purple tree frog