Australia faces tidal wave of extinction | Pets and Animals

28th November 2008

THE habitat of more than 30 per cent of Australia's threatened species is not protected, which could lead to a tidal wave of extinctions, a Sunshine Coast conference was told yesterday.

A joint World Wildlife Fund and University of Queensland report says 58 native animal breeds and 448 plant species listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Protection Act do not receive adequate habitat protection.

WWF Australia Policy Manager Martin Taylor said this was the first time scientists had been able to quote a number of species that did not receive sufficient habitat protection.

Dr Taylor released the report findings at the Australian Protected Areas Congress at Twin Waters.

“Thirty-seven per cent of all animal and plant species listed under the EPBC legislation have less than 10 per cent of their habitats captured inside protected areas,” Dr Taylor said.

He said Australia faced a tidal wave of native wildlife extinction during the next 50 years unless habitats were preserved.

“Queensland's Mary River turtle, the Northern Territory's Carpentarian rock rat and the West Kimberley's black-footed rock wallaby are among the animals and plants facing extinction as a result of development, land clearing and changing climate,” Dr Taylor said.

“Unless state governments commit funding to build a safety net of protected areas.”

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