Another iconic mammal, the greater glider, has officially been added to the growing list of endangered species in Australia – joining the gang-gang cockatoo, Bogong moth and the koala.
The Australian Conservation Foundation’s nature campaign manager, Basha Stasak, said:
“It is incredibly sad to see another unique Australian animal pushed closer to extinction.
“Australia’s unique biodiversity, evolved over millions of years, is under threat like never before from a combination of land clearing, logging, climate change and invasive species.
“Australia has one of the world’s highest extinction rates and since the national environment law came into force more than 20 years ago, the list of threatened species and ecosystems has continued to grow.
“Without fundamental reform of our national environment laws and adequate funding to recover threatened species we won’t arrest the downward trajectory of our wildlife.”
In 2019, the the federal government authorised the clearing of north Queensland woodland despite the environment department finding it was likely to destroy critical greater glider habitat.
To prevent more threatened species habitat being destroyed, Australia urgently needs strong nature laws and an independent national EPA.
On 19 July, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will release the five-yearly , which is expected to reveal even further declines in the health of plants, animals and ecosystems across Australia.
