Australia's plants help make our landscapes unique. But many are in grave danger of extinction, and in many cases, the problem is getting worse.
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Articles on Threatened species
Displaying 1 - 20 of 60 articles
Seabird colonies are thought to be in rapid decline. But knowing just how severe the loss is can be a challenge, so some scientists are turning to bird poop for the answer.
Breeding in captivity is expensive, and means the animal's gene pool will be sorely depleted. Using sperm and egg freezing and IVF techniques can reduce that.
China's signature foreign policy is controversial for lots of reasons. But the environmental damage potentially wrought by the project has received scant attention.
There are 85 'threatened ecological communities' listed under Australian environment law. But unrealistic criteria means they're not adequately protected.
COVID-19 restrictions led to calls to open up golf courses to the public. But these are such precious refuges for native flora and fauna that access will have to be carefully managed.
We found 92 threatened species reported in industrial catch records. This is shameful and unnecessary.
From an effigy hanging from a noose to an angry opponent wielding scissors, those who've sought to protect the precious Australian Alps have always been up against it.
Six months ago fires ravaged Australia, exacerbating our already dire biodiversity crisis. These are the animals and plants still suffering 6 months on.
Scientists and bureaucrats moved logistical mountains to rescue the eastern bristlebird from bushfires this year. As climate change worsens, wildlife evacuations will become more common.
The story of the Kangaroo Island Micro-trapdoor spider offer insight into the challenges ahead for invertebrates – the tiny engines of Australia's biodiversity – after this year's cataclysmic fires.
The Kaputar rock skink is thought to have have one of the smallest ranges of any reptile in New South Wales – at the summit of a single extinct volcano, Mount Kaputar.
When the post-bushfire rains finally arrived, the situation for many fish species went from dangerous to catastrophic. A slurry of ash and mud washed into waterways, sending oxygen levels plummeting.
Koalas are notoriously difficult to detect. Traditional methods are costly and labour intensive. So we found a more efficient way to locate koalas in eastern NSW, using drones.
Pangolins are illegally traded, linked to the coronavirus pandemic and driven to extinction in some areas. That's why it's vital to reintroduce this threatened species back into the wild.
How fast can an animal run? How intense was the fire? Picking which species to help after a bushfire tragedy is no easy task.
Roaming pet cats kill 390 million animals per year in Australia. Most of the animals are native to Australia.
Powerful owls need old, hollowed-out trees to nest in, but humans keep chopping them down. Now, designers have partnered up with ecologists to build them high tech artificial nests.
Fish, frogs, turtles and platypus at major risk of extinction following the bushfires. So why aren't they getting much attention?
Some threatened species hit hard by the bushfires this summer have populations in and around urban areas, which are now crucial refuges. Here are some tips to help improve their odds of survival.
Top contributors
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Professor, The University of Queensland
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ARC Future Fellow and Professor of Environmental Management, The University of Queensland
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Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
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Professor, The University of Queensland
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Associate Professor in Ecology, Charles Sturt University
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Professor (conservation biology), Charles Darwin University
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Professor, Australian National University
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Professor in Conservation Ecology, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne
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Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
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Researcher, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland
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Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne
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Don Driscoll is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University
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Professor in Sustainability and Urban Planning, Leader, Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group (ICON Science), RMIT University
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Associate Professor, The University of Queensland
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PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland
