Australia looks to halt mammal extinction; lines up new measures to save wildlife

Australia wants to shed “The Mammal Extinction Capital of the World” status with new proactive measures aimed at halting wildlife loss

The Australian government had been pinned down by a particular problem. With biodiversity conservation being the talk of the town in the continent, and of course worldwide, the status of “The Mammal Extinction Capital of the World” that has been slammed on Australia sure comes as an embarrassment. The nation is now looking to seriously shed the tag.

The administration is said to have lined up a slew of measures aimed at putting an end to the loss of any more species. As part of these conservation initiative, over a hundred plants and animals that come under the threatened list will be prioritised for protection.

The new conservation strategies being lined up by the Australian government also have included a commitment that it would protect a third of the continent’s land mass, said a report.

Australia battles climate change, habitat loss

It is common knowledge that has been Australia’s environment has been going through a tough phase and has been pointing to a disastrous situation. Habitat loss, pest invasion, increase in proliferation of weeds, climate change and other natural calamities have wreaked havoc on the Australian landscape, forcing a slew of native flora and fauna into extinction. Animals and plant population is on the wane due to such a scenario.

All these have brought to the fore the need for a concrete plan to save the environment, and the inhabitants of the Australian landscape. The government does not want any more species to go extinct. Moreover, the tag of “The Mammal Extinction Capital of the World” has pushed the country to an embarrassing plane. The government feels that its earlier approach towards better results had not seen much success, and so it is all set to make sure a second chance in saving the wildlife in Australia would be better planned and executed.

The government looks to enlist as much as 30 percent of Australia’s land as protected under national environment laws. This, it expects, would add to measures that would aid vulnerable species and habitats to survive. The government has charted out a 10-year strategy, which will look at enhancing its resilience to climate change, build insurance populations of some key species in predator-free zones, and better monitor existing populations, the BBC reported.

New measures expected to work

Apart from listing out new measures to halt the growth of invasive weed species that threaten wildlife, the government is also looking to rope in the expertise and aid of aboriginals towards environment management. Further, it has also listed down 20 regions where high densities of threatened species can be given protection. Also, 110 species, such as the Australian sea lion and the rarest marsupial in the world, Gilbert’s Potoroo (see picture above), will be prioritised for conservation.

The fact that Australia has seen extinction of many species compared with the rest of the world calls for such measures. It looks like the administration is now on a path that would prove effective in terms of helping wildlife live on.