Large parts of Australia look like the above photo, beautiful in a rugged way, but quite useless for the survival of many of Australia species. Australia has a wide range of habitats, which means that there are many areas which need to be protected.
The problem is, according to this study, declaring an area protected appears to be having little change on what is happened.
1/3 of all land that is set aside for restoration and conservation, has got worse rather than better. Given the fact that so many species are just hanging on to existence, this could be very bad news.
In one area that was studied, the majority of the area was cleared paddock – a serious problem for the koala and grey-headed flying fox which called the area home.
In particular, the idea of this scheme is so called biodiversity offsetting – if you are to clear wildlife habitat, you protect a similar sized area elsewhere.
Wentworth Group of concerned Scientists estimate that for just $7.3 billion a year for 30 years, most extinctions could be avoided as well as repairing soil and restoring rivers. That sounds like quite a lot? Well, invasive species cost the Australian government $24.3 billion a year now.
Recovery of some of the endangered species, could well save more than they cost to save, in reducing this invasive species bill. This would also improve agricultural output, as a result of improved soil health.
Marsupial bones have been found on islands hundreds of km from Australia. What is more astounding is that these moves appear to have occurred 42,000 years ago, and could not have taken place without humans. Found in some of the islands, which form a chain from Asia to the Australian continent (though there are still hundreds of kilometres between them.
Found within rock shelters within these islands, were a layer of sediment, which included signs of human presence. Amongst this layer, was also found bones of marsupials (there is no other evidence that these animals ever lived on the island). This island is over 150 miles from the nearest place that these animals could have been found, which is unlikely to have been survived for a crossing (though it should be noted, that animals are thought to have crossed from Africa to Madagascar on similar rafts, and this is 250 miles.
We continue to move species, and often in quite damaging ways. Still it is interesting to know how long we have been doing it.
Recognized as an incredibly popular species, with a great deal of conservation effort being put into its survival. The Queensland conservation council is urging the state government is calling for its remaining habitat to be protected, as logging continues.
Calls are being made to create a park to protect the species.
The Miles government promised (in June) to turn 50,000-60,000 hectares of high value ecosystems into a greater glider national park. Unfortunately, this plan gave detailed listings of where timber would be extracted, but did not include clear maps for areas to be protected. Quite understandably, conservationists are calling foul – it is not possible to deforest an area, and then call for its conservation.
The population of this species is estimated to have halved in just the last 20 years, which should officially declares it as vulnerable to extinction (it is true that this is often decided over 10 years, but still is a very bad sign). Other issues, is fragmentation of their forests – they are generally very unwilling to come down to ground level to travel to other trees. They can stay in the air for around 100m, but this means that a gap greater than this can isolate the population. They require eucalypt forests (this is almost all they eat, with plenty of large tree hollows to make home, and retreat into.
Will Australia step up, or will this species get pushed into planned extinction? Time will tell, though given Australias track record, we should not expect big things without a great deal of pressure from conservation groups, and publicity on what is happening, from around the world.
There are many species around the world which are so important to their habitat, that even a reduction in the population can cause problems – this is one of them. After tadpoles have lost their tails, many will climb onto the hairy back of the water buffalo, getting a ride to other rich feeding areas (and the buffalo gets any irritating flies eaten). There can be as many as 20 frogs on each water buffalo.
Water buffalo were first domesticated 3000 years ago, in Asia, but have proved to be so useful, there are now 200 million spread across 77 countries, on 5 continents. Initially considered as useful animals for plough and similar farm work, in recent times, it has been recognized for its ecosystem engineer duties.
Thriving in wetlands, they can force their way through places that other herbivores fail. While they are not native to many of their current homes, they are capable of filling ecological niches that have long been empty after the initial large cattle like animals were killed off, or all taken into captivity. It should be noted, that in some places, like Australia, there are few to no predators, to control such a large animal, which has lead to a population of 200,000. There is a native water buffalo (Anatolian).
A variety of characteristics help this species to easily fill the ecological niche of the European water buffalo (lost around 10,000 years ago). From transporting seeds in their fur, they fill in many of the roles that the extinct European water buffalo did in the long past. Even in places like the UK, which is one of the most nature depleted countries, the water buffalo are replacing long extinct species, and recovering ecosystems as a result.
This sort of behaviour has to be carefully managed, as in many places, introducing a closely related species can be very costly. In the UK, the grey squirrel has decimated the population of the native red squirrel, and this is not an isolated example, with many others from around the world. However, so long as their effect is closely managed, and there is not a closer relation to the missing species, the impact is likely to be a net positive. Over the last 50 years, 1/3 of the worlds wetlands have been lost, these species, when carefully managed, are likely to be able to bring some of this back.
This critically endangered species of honeyeater has a renewed hope of survival. They have become so rare, that the juveniles have started mimicking other bird species, because they hear the sounds of their own species so rarely.
The new speck of hope comes from the fact that captive birds have bred after being released.
There are an estimated 2200 species in Australia which are in some way endangered. This species is endangered for the same reason that many of these are – loss of habitat. Agricultural land, forest clearing, logging and the expansion of coal seam gas drilling was predicted to wipe out this bird, but thankfully they have survived.
Around 140 birds have been released to help bolster the population and have been shown to have bred with wild birds. With just 300 wild birds left, every extra breeding bird can make a large difference.
 PaleoNeolitic (montage creator) BS Thurner Hof Kora27 Martin Sordilla – Wikimedia Commons
Cassowary
There are 3 species of Cassowary, from left to right Southern, Northern and dwarf Cassowary. The Southern Cassowary is the 3rd largest and 2nd heaviest bird in the world, after ostrich and rhea.
90% of their diet consists of fruit. Having said this, they are classed as omnivores and take a range of foods including shoots and grass seeds, fungi invertebrates, eggs carrion fish and small vertebrates such as rodents, small birds, frogs, lizards and snakes. While all of the ratite family can eat meat, Cassowaries are by definition the most omnivorous, and while other ratites will eat meat when other food is scarce Cassowaries take more meat than others.
While the southern Cassowary has part of its range on Australia, all three have their main range on New Guinea
The southern Cassowary is listed as least concern by the IUCN, however with a 4400 individuals other agencies class it as endangered.
The northern Cassowary is also listed as least concern by IUCN and this population numbers 10,000-20,000
The dwarf Cassowary is listed as least concern as well. Unfortunately I cannot find estimates for this species, but with an overall population of 20,000-50,000 it is likely to be the most common
Adults are formidable enough that there is no regular predation. However, a range of birds such as the Papuan eagle, mammals such as the New Guinea singing dogs, and reptiles such as pythons and monitor lizards all take young when adults are not protecting enough.
Below is any news we have written on this species, and below that will be listed places you can see this species in the wild. Should you work in conservation or tourism on this range of species do get in touch through the list your wild place link on the home page.
The second tallest bird, after the Ostrich, the Emu is found in Australia. While its range covers most of the mainland, its close cousins which lived on the islands around Australia are all extinct.
They have soft brown feathers and cannot fly, though they can run at speeds of 30 miles per hour.
They can survive weeks without eating, and drink infrequently (though they drink a lot when they do drink).
Eggs hatch after 8 weeks, and young are fully grown at around 6 months, though they usually stay with the unit until the next breeding season.
While overall there are enough to list this species as least concern, it is not as rosy everywhere, with the Tasmanian Emu dying out in around 1800.
There are 3 currently surviving subspecies with 3 others extinct.
Their population lies between 625,000 and 725,000
Below is our usual roundup of articles on this species, unfortunately, given the length of the name, it is likely to appear within other names. Below this, you will find any links to aid in seeing this animal (as we make them)
Were there a legitimate purpose for bred lions and rhino, this law might be bad, but for now there only use was canned lion hunting which is banned, and rhino...
Whaling went on for centuries, in many parts of the world. One of these was Iceland, where due to the latitude, it is often hard to grow much food. Iceland...
Arguments against electric cars continue, from suggestions that the range they have is not high enough, the batteries do not last long enough, they are worse for the environment, they...
When we trained in the Kruger, there were about 70 cheetah and about 350 wild dog. 15 years later there were over 400 cheetah, and nearer 500 wild dog.
There are few animals more loved than the native red squirrel, yet in the UK we have watched its gradual decline since the non-native grey introduction
The mouse was considered to be stuck on the mainland, which means that if true it would have been lost for good.
Thankfully this was not the case.Â
This mouse was living under the identity of the Djoongari mouse, or the Shark bay mouse, on an island in shark bay.
Furthermore, by looking at the genetic diversity of these mice (from specimens taken at the time) was high, which makes it clear that right before extinction, there were large numbers of these animals. This means that their extinction was not a natural process as had been assumed, but is instead an issue with human arrival.Â
Instead, extinct is likely due to a mixture of
Introduction of predators in the form of domestic cats and foxes
changes to fire management (carried out effectively before European arrival)
Introduction of new diseases
Habitat destruction due to industrialisation and land clearing for agriculture.
While these mice are unlikely to be possible to return to the mainland for some time (until feral cats and other species are eliminated) they can perhaps be introduced to other small islands to guarantee their survival.
Found off the north coast of Australia (see the map to the right for a more detailed idea, the Yellow is suspected range, and the question marks designate areas which have similar attributes, but where they have never been seen) it looks very similar to the Irrawaddy dolphin, and was only recognized as a separate species in 2005.
They are the only 2 species found in the genus Orcaella. The closest relative to this genus (as you may have guessed) is the Orca or killer whale.
Females reach a length of 230cm while males grow to 270cm. While lifespan is estimated at 30 years, this species is so rarely encountered, scientific studies have proved impossible so far.
Generally living in groups of 2-6 (larger groups of up to 14 have been encountered). It is consindered vulnerable, and while its population does not show rapid declines in recent times, its wild population is thought to number 200 or less.
Below, is a video of the species, and then is a list of any mentions of this species on the website (given how rare it is, it may never show any articles).
Below that, I will add any opportunities to see this animal in the wild, as we make contacts
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Found off the north coast of 
