Australian wildlife at risk as environment deteriorates

Animals like the blue-tailed skink etc., are now only recorded to exist in captivity

Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent in the world. The country has also seen one of the worst rates of species decline among the world's wealthiest countries, said a report released by the government. Animals like the blue-tailed skink etc., are now only recorded to exist in captivity, whereas Christmas Island flying fox and the central rock-rat are mammals that are considered most at risk of extinction in the next 20 years, largely due to introduced predator species. Sandalwood trees are also in decline.

The report said changing fire and rainfall trends, increasing temperatures, ocean acidification, and rising sea levels all had significant impacts on its wildlife. New national parks and protected marine areas will be introduced to protect 30% of Australia's land and ocean waters by 2030. The number of species that are included in the list of threatened species or in a higher category of risk grew on an average by 8% from the previous report in 2016, with 533 animals and 1,385 plant species now listed. More than half of them are assessed as endangered or critically endangered.