Extinctions are holes torn in the fabric of life, and Australia is ragged from so many species ripped out. We are missing far more mammals than any other continent, as well as frogs, lizards, fishes, insects and plants. Many losses are recent.
As well as lamenting these losses, Australians should strive to understand why we have suffered so many. In this report, we examine the major drivers of extinctions, focused particularly on the causes of ‘modern’ extinctions. We profile each probable animal extinction since 1960. This includes species listed by Australian governments and others recently assessed by experts as likely to be gone.
A new report by the Invasive Species Council – GONE: Australian animals extinct since the 1960s – profiles the losses of 23 animal species, including species recently assessed by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub as probably extinct (with a >70% likelihood).
