Interested in Australian Endangered Animals? Learn more about the different endangered animals in Australia and how a lot of work is being done to protect these species from becoming extinct…
Many animals that are endemic to Australia are part of the Australian endangered animal list. That is mainly because their numbers are diminishing rapidly and they might face the risk of complete extinction. That would mean that the species would no longer exist and multiply anywhere. Any species that is endangered can be facing the risk of extinction.
There are different categories of overall world population or animal species and in the past 200 years there have been a total of 17 Australian endangered animals that have become completely extinct. There are a lot more endangered Australian animal species, including some mammals that face the risk of extinction and some of them are even on the critical extinction list. However, due to the vast expanse and different temperature conditions, Australia is home to the largest number of animals, the world over, that are at risk of becoming extinct.
There are different reasons for an endangered animal population, some of which include the encroachment of humans on the different habitats of our animal species. If an animal requires a special form of food or habitat and it is removed from that location then its population starts depleting rapidly as a rule.
Human encroachment not only happens on land it also occurs in the ocean. Such is the case of the destruction of that Australian wonder, its coral reefs. Destroying reefs to create a port is an example of destruction in the marine world. The same thing is often replicated on land and affects mammals and other animals.
Furthermore, there have been non-native animals introduced to Australia like dogs, cats and foxes that also prey on the small native animals, which may be vulnerable against attacks from such animals. Cattle, deer and rabbits are raised by humans and they feed on the food that would previously have been available to the native animals, thereby reducing their food supply drastically.
A lot of small animals lose their homes because their burrows have been crushed by animals that graze in the field. Interestingly enough, the cattle and sheep that have hoofs are not native to Australia, rather they have been introduced into the continent by humans.
Since a lot of habitat is removed for houses, mines and farms while the remainder is destroyed by timber logging projects, this results in a loss of natural habitat and reduces the subsequent numbers of animal population. A forest being logged for timber is another major cause of the reduction of native animal numbers.
Different Australian Endangered Animals
One animal, which is considered almost extinct, is the Tasmanian Tiger, which was a marsupial that was hunted by humans who wanted to prevent this marsupial from eating their chickens. The Greater Bilby is also an endangered Australian animal, which was under threat by fox attacks and bush fires, while rabbits and grazing cattle forage into the vegetation.
The numbat has been prey for foxes and has lost much of its habitat, while the Leadbeater’s possum population revived after nearing extinction and is still endangered.
The Eastern Barred Bandicoot has lost substantial numbers of its population over the past decades as well as the Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, which has lost its natural habitat due to tree logging.
The Australian sea-lion and the Australian dugong are considered vulnerable as their numbers drop as well.
