The Lost Animals of Australia

Australia is the land of unique biodiversity with exceptional and unique variety of flora and fauna. But, over the past few years, increased habitat degradation, pollution and change in the ecosystem have resulted in extinction of many species of exotic wildlife in this country. It is the loss of natural habitat and biodiversity due to human attacks that have posed serious threats to environment. Additionally continuous increase in population has posed serious pressure on the land and natural resources and that changed Australia's landscape. This resulted in the species being more vulnerable to diseases also.

Several species of birds and mammals have become extinct in the land of Australia over the last 200 years. It has been reported under Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation act 1999 that 17 out of 270 mammals that lived in Australia in the year 1788, are presumed to be extinct. The number of extinction of species varies between states, and it is researched and found that it is South Australia that lost the maximum number of species.

Some of the exotic species of Australia that became extinct are:

Thylacine or Tasmanian tiger: These carnivorous marsupials were more hunted and killed by humans and have become extinct when the last of its species died in the year 1936.

Australian Allosaur: These meat-eating dinosaurs lived some 110 million years ago. One can know about it from the fossil anklebone that is rarely found through excavation.

The Lesser Bilby: This lesser bilby species was last seen in the year 1960, was common in the desert areas of Central Australia. The dwindling numbers are because of loss of habitat by grazing and poultry, as well affected by frequent fire.

The Desert-Rat kangaroo: This extinct marsupial is of the size of a small rabbit that once lived in South-western Queensland and in the northeastern part of Australia. These Desert Rat kangaroo was last seen in the year 1935.

Landbeater's Possum: These species were found in the Victorian Central Highlands and were mostly found nested in the bark of old tress. They were found and seen last in 1961.

The Australian sea-lion: These species of animals are extremely vulnerable and were hunted to near extinction. They are the only seal exclusively found in Australia.

The White-footed Rabbit-rat: One of the native rodents of Australia that was of the size of a kitten. This nocturnal rat lived amidst trees and leaves. These were perhaps seen last in 1935.

Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo: The natural habitat of this species was the rain forests and highlands of Queensland. However, with increased human activity and population, the rain forests are being cleared off and the existence of species got threatened.

Dugong: This is another vulnerable animal of Australia. They mostly lived in shallow warm water and in this case also the natural habitat of the marine mammal got disturbed and destroyed.

All of these animal species declined in wildlife in major part of Australia has happened since European Colonisation. Australia accounts for the most mammalian extinctions that has happened all over the world it is intensive use of land as a natural resource that has played a prominent role in the decline of wild animals in Australia.