The research was led by the University of Queensland’s Stephen Kearney and paints a grim future for Australia’s native plants and animals if we don’t throw everything we’ve got at one of nature’s greatest and most immediate threats, invasive species.
Some of our Aussie battlers, like the mountain pygmy-possum, are easy to love, they fit our idea of cute, beautiful, iconic or precious. Others, like the Christmas Island red crab, might be harder to love, but their survival is just as important.
We need to grow stronger
Our voice has never been stronger in the halls of Canberra and at a state level, but we need to grow stronger. In the past 12 months alone we have:
- Led the charge against the decision to protect destructive feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park by kick-starting and leading the Reclaim Kosci campaign.
- Joined forces with farmers, local councils, industry groups and others to ensure a $9.2 million commitment from the major parties contesting the federal election to eradicate yellow crazy ants from Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
- Helped create a new national Office of Environmental Biosecurity within the federal government to better prevent invasive species from entering Australia.
- Played a major role in creating a new levy on shipping imports that will fund improved environmental biosecurity.
These wins have been massive gains in the fight against invasive species and demonstrate that we can work with all sides of politics at all levels of government.
None of this would have been possible without the financial aid of our supporters, people who understand the huge threat invasive species pose to Australia’s incredible, but vulnerable, native plants and wildlife.
What’s at risk?
Let’s not forget what we’re fighting for – four out of every five threatened Australian native species are being driven towards extinction by feral animals, weeds and diseases, and the situation will worsen.
Any donation you can make today will help us step up our fight against invasive species and make our voice even stronger right across Australia. We must put a stop to Australia’s extinction crisis!
Can you make a tax-deductible donation today and help fuel our fight?
