Decline and extinction of Australian mammals
This recent scientific report (Jan 2014) shows how Australia’s land mammals have extinctions suffered an extraordinary rate of extinction. We have lost over 10% of the 273 endemic terrestrial species over the last 200 years compared to only one native land mammal from continental North America going extinct since European settlement.
“A further 21% of Australian endemic land mammal species are now threatened, indicating that the rate of loss (of one to two extinctions per decade) is likely to continue”.
Interestingly, unlike most other countries’ causes of extinctions, ours are happening in more remote areas and are due to predation by foxes and cats.
Originally Published at http://www.pnas.org/