Endangered Australian Animals
What can we do to help?
What is happening
In Australia we have an extremly high number of species that can only be found here. Yet Australia also has one of the worst extinction rates in the world! You might think that this is all due to poachers and predators, but lot of it is because of us being lousy with our environment, and people disobeying the law.
Why does this matter?
Biodiversity is a term we use to describe the variety of life on Earth. It refers to the wide variety animals, plants, their habitats and their genes. Each species has a role to play in an ecosystem - much like each part of our body has its own job. Often in nature several species may fulfil a similar role in a particular ecosystem. This ensures if one species is lost the ecosystem as a whole will continue to work. However if too many species are lost, as has happened in Australia since the arrival of Europeans, then the system starts to break down.
Here are some endandered Australian animals due to enviromental causes.
The Orangutan
As forest dwelling primates, orangutans are entirely dependent on the forest for their survival. Unfortunately, logging, both legal and illegal, has seen wild populations decimated. Up to 1,000 orangutans are also killed every year, lots due to logging.
Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo
This tree kangaroo lives on Queensland, and is endangered,due to deforestation.This animal lives in rainforests.
Leadbeater's Possom
The leadbeaters Possom is endangered as its forests are being logged.
What can we do?
Saving these animals
- One of the most important ways to help threatened plants and animals survive is to protect their habitats permanently in national parks, nature reserves or wilderness areas. There they can live without too much interference from humans.
- You can visit a nearby national park or nature reserve. Some national parks have special guided tours and walks. Talk to the rangers to find out whether there are any threatened species and how they are being protected. You and your friends might be able to help the rangers in their conservation work.
- When you visit a national park, make sure you obey the wildlife code: follow fire regulations; leave your pets at home; leave flowers, birds’ eggs, logs and bush rocks where you find them; put your rubbish in a bin.
- Some areas have groups which look after local lands and nature reserves. They do this by removing weeds and planting local native species in their place. You could join one of these groups.
By Camille Penrose 6I