The report , titled '2°C is Too Much', reveals that 50 per cent of Antarctica's iconic Emperor penguins and 75 per cent of its Ade'lie penguin colonies are under threat.

Climate change models forecast that a 2°C temperature rise – widely regarded as the threshold for dangerous climate change - could be a reality in less than 40 years, producing a strong reduction in the sea ice cover of the Southern Ocean. Many recent climate models forecast likely temperature rises in excess of this.

"Climate change is causing irrevocable damage to the ecology of the Antarctic. Rising temperatures means sea ice levels will drop dramatically, devastating the penguins' nesting and feeding grounds," said Rob Nicoll, head of WWF-Australia's Antarctic and Southern Oceans Initiative.

"A reduction in the sea ice is also likely to have a knock-on effect on the abundance of krill, which is a vital food source for these animals.

"Our modelling shows that iconic species such as the Emperor and Adélie penguin, which are the only penguins to breed on the Antarctic continent, could be put under threat of extinction by as early as 2070."

The release of WWF's report comes in the lead up to the annual Convention on the Conservation of Antarctica Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) which will meet in Hobart at the end of October. CCAMLR will bring together scientists and policy makers from all over the world to discuss the conservation and management of the Antarctic environment and its wildlife.

WWF-Australia is calling for all nations to work together to agree on a new global deal that will succeed the Kyoto Protocol and tackle climate change beyond 2012, and for CCAMLR to designate networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) throughout the Southern Ocean.

"Implementing networks of Marine Protected Areas will allow Antarctic species under pressure from climate change to adapt, improving their chances of survival. It will also protect economically valuable finfish fisheries in the region and krill which forms the basis of the Antarctic food web," said Rob Nicoll.

"The predicted threat to the Emperor and Adélie penguin populations is a clear incentive for the world to agree on a set of precautionary management measures that will better protect these animals.

"It is imperative that the international community analyses all possible ways to limit climate change and improve the resilience of these iconic Antarctic species."

Notes to editors:

WWF's report is based on the scientific study conducted by David Ainley, Joellen Russell and Stephanie Jenouvrier: "The fate of Antarctic penguins when Earth's tropospheric temperature reaches 2°C above pre-industrial levels". Both WWF's report and the scientific study can be downloaded at: www.panda.org/antarctica

More information

Jonathon Larkin, WWF Press Office
Mobile: 0410 221 410
Email: jlarkin@wwf.org.au

The 2008 Red List includes 44,838 species of all types, from Africa's Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei) to Antarctica's Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) and Sumatra's Orangutan (Pongo abelii).

Dr Ray Nias, WWF-Australia's Director of Conservation said the Red List is a reminder of the challenges facing the planet.

"WWF applauds IUCN for drawing attention to this situation and calls on the Australian government to take immediate and concrete action to address some of the root causes of species extinction. This includes climate change, which is drastically affecting Australia's native species.

"Each and every year we see more and more species under threat – whether we are talking about pandas, coral polyps or sharks. Loss of habitat, over-population, hunting and poaching, as well as the effects of climate change are all placing pressure on the world's animals. Every species named on this list is in danger of extinction and once they're gone, we cannot bring them back."

The projected effects of climate change on Australia's species are calamitous, with Professor Garnaut's report predicting that temperature rises as low as 1-2 degrees would have terrible consequences for the Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu National Park, Australia's alpine regions and tropical rainforests. Rising temperature would also see the spread of invasive species to new regions – taking over habitat of native species – and further pressure being placed on water resources.

Many of the species listed have moved from threatened to endangered, or critically endangered, and need urgent attention to pull them back from the brink of extinction. Australia's Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), has moved from Least Concern to Vulnerable after the global population declined by more than 60 percent in the last 10 years due to a fatal infectious facial cancer.

The Australian Snubfin dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), which lives in the waters of northern Australia, is listed as near threatened in the 2008 IUCN Red List. Very little is known about the Snubfin dolphin, which is why WWF-Australia designated it a flagship conservation species in earlier this year.

Grey Nurse sharks (Carcharias taurus) have also been listed as Vulnerable to Extinction.

According to WWF, the loss of species should be taken as a clear warning for humans. Sound ecosystems which include clean fresh water, safe seas and healthy forests with robust species populations are critical to the livelihoods and survival of people.

"If the world needed another dramatic example of how fragile the environment is, this year's Red List should provide a wake-up call," said Dr Nias.

Overall, the IUCN Red List now includes 44,838 species, of which 16,928 are threatened with extinction (38 percent). Of these, 3,246 are in the highest category of threat, Critically Endangered, 4,770 are Endangered and 8,912 are Vulnerable to Extinction.

New species have appeared on the IUCN Red List for the first time, including the Rameshwaram Parachute Spider (Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica), the Squaretail Coral Grouper (Plectropomus areolatus - from the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific), the La Palma Giant Lizard (Gallotia auaritae - found on the Canary Island of La Palma and thought to have become, it was rediscovered last year and is now listed as Critically Endangered), the Cuban Crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer - moved from Endangered to Critically Endangered because of population declines caused by illicit hunting for its meat and its skin).

The IUCN's Red List is developed by a voluntary network of species specialist groups. Across the globe, WWF staff are part of many of these specialist groups, providing financial and technical support.

More information

Jonathon Larkin, WWF Press Office
Mobile: 0410 221 410
Email: jlarkin@wwf.org.au

World Animal Day was initiated in 1931 at a convention of ecologists in Florence as a way of highlighting the plight of endangered species.

The spot-tailed quoll, also known as the tiger quoll, was once common throughout the forests of southeastern Australia. However, since European settlement its populations have decreased dramatically. It is now listed as endangered by the Australian Government.

"Conservation of Australia's unique species is everybody's business and we all need to get involved in the fight against our animal extinction crisis," said Kat Miller, WWF's Threatened Species National Manager.

"Whether you get involved in a local environmental project or assist in the protection of these animals by downloading a threatened species wallpaper from Telstra - every little bit helps," she said.

With twenty per cent of Australia's animal and plant species now endangered, WWF is working with Telstra to raise awareness of the plight of our country's threatened species, such as the spot-tailed quoll.

"Telstra is a proud partner of WWF's Building Nature's Safety Net campaign* to expand wildlife protected areas", said Amanda Johnston, Executive Director, Telstra Brands and Marketing Communications.

"We are urging people to help save this unique animal. Mobile phone subscribers can simply SMS "WWF" to 13POND (13 7663) to have a charity wallpaper sent to their mobile phone. $2.95 of the price of the wallpaper download will be donated to WWF."

On October 4 - World Animal Day - Australian's are urged to download a spot-tailed quoll wallpaper to their compatible mobile phone.

Costs will be $2.95 (incl GST) plus standard SMS charges for Telstra customers and $3.55 (incl GST) for other customers with compatible handsets. For more information visit www.wwf.org.au/wallpaper.

More information

Helen Pitman - 0439 605 107

Peter Taylor - 0439 031 996

WWF believes that a strong international agreement is achievable but only if countries like Australia show leadership and commit to deep cuts.

"Australia must make cuts of at least 25 per cent by 2020 and take this commitment to Copenhagen," said Kellie Caught, WWF's Climate Change Policy Manager.

Professor Garnaut recognised the impending crisis of inaction stating in his report: "The failure of our generation would lead to consequences that would haunt humanity until the end of time."

"Australia cannot afford to be pessimistic about the international negotiations, it has too much to lose economically and environmentally if we do not take a lead," Ms Caught said.

"There was a commitment at Bali to put emission cuts of 25-40 per cent by 2020 on the negotiating table. Australia should not walk away from this.

"If the world's biggest emitters focus their significant intellectual and production resources on cutting emissions, there is a genuine possibility of achieving 450ppm - and ultimately reducing atmospheric carbon to 400ppm."

Professor Garnaut's report shows the costs of action are less than the cost of inaction, and Australia can remain prosperous with living standards improving even if it agrees to deep cuts.

"Even without an international agreement Australia should still commit to a cut of 25 per cent by 2020, as we have the resources and technology to achieve this," Ms Caught said.

"It is important not to delude ourselves into thinking that small activities will be sufficient to avoid dangerous climate change.

"If we do not implement the right policies now to support a low emission technological revolution, the chance of avoiding a two degree temperature rise is rapidly diminished.

"As the rest of the world inevitably moves to take on a carbon price, Australia can take advantage of being an early mover.

"With world methane levels again on the rise, and the two per cent increase in Australia's carbon emissions announced recently by the Global Carbon Project, it has never been more important for Australians to act to preserve our future," Ms Caught said.

For more information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Press Office
Phone: (02) 8202 1259 or mobile 0410 221 068

Most were discovered on the east coast of Australia and one species in particular - Parascyllium elongatum - was so rare that the only known example was found in the belly of another shark.

"It's like finding out that there are a hundred new whale and dolphin species out there. It is a major scientific breakthrough," said WWF-Australia fisheries manager Peter Trott. "We now need to know what changes in management are needed to conserve these animals, and that is what the experts will try to answer."

This year's Oceania Chondrichthyan Society (OCS) meeting is taking place in Sydney from September 22 to 24 and will focus on the status, trends and management of sharks globally with special attention on the new species found within the Oceania region.

Hosted by WWF-Australia, the opening workshop will help set the agenda for the future research and focus on the impact on fisheries and conservation management structures following the discovery of the new species.

Recent research by Australian and international researchers revealed that confusion between separate species of sharks and rays meant that new, rare or endangered species may have been mistaken for a similar looking, but more common species and inadvertently taken by fishermen.

"We are literally fishing in the dark when it comes to sharks and rays. In many cases we simply do not know what species we are plucking from Australian waters," said Mr Trott.

"We need to re-write the management plans and re-assess our fauna listings otherwise there will be serious consequences for fisheries management and governments. Significant investments will be needed to ensure none of the vulnerable or new species are taken unintentionally."

Mr Trott said he expected the scientists to urgently call for more funding to research sharks and for stronger fisheries management to identify those sharks that were caught by commercial fishers.

"This is the 21st century and still we lack even the most basic information for almost all species of shark. We urgently need them to become the top priority for science-based research and the top priority for management in order to safeguard their populations," Mr Trott said.

"Sharks play a crucial role in the balance and health of marine ecosystems. They are slow-growing, long-lived, and produce few young, which leaves them extremely vulnerable to overfishing.

"We cannot afford to lose sharks from our oceans. If we cannot afford to manage them properly, then it might be best to leave them alone."

It will include an international workshop looking at the 18-month research project conducted by a CSIRO national flagship project, Wealth from Oceans, which formally named and described the 100 new species of sharks, rays and chimaeras in our waters. For some shark groups, such as spurdogs, swell sharks and wobbegongs, more than half the world's known species were described in the study.

For more information

Rachael Hoy, National Media Manager, WWF-Australia
02 8202 1242, 0407 204 594

Notes to editors

The three special publications referred to in the above release are:

Last, P. R., White, W. T., and Pogonoski, J. J. (2007). Descriptions of new dogfishes of the genus Squalus (Squaloidea: Squalidae). CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research paper 014, Hobart, Tas. 130 p.
PDF: http://www.cmar.csiro.au/e-print/open/cmar_rp014.pdf

Last, P. R., White, W. T., Pogonoski, J. J. & Gledhill, D.C. (2008). Descriptions of new Australian skates (Batoidea: Rajoidei) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research paper 014, Hobart, Tas. 185 p.
PDF: http://www.cmar.csiro.au/e-print/open/cmar_rp021.pdf

Last, P. R., White, W. T., and Pogonoski, J. J. (2008). Descriptions of new Australian chondrichthyans CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research paper 014, Hobart, Tas. 130 p.
PDF: http://www.cmar.csiro.au/e-print/open/cmar_rp022.pdf

The scorecard rated the major fossil fuel power generator's generation mix, policies and low emission research, development and investment. This was done with a view to informing recent discussion around proposals to provide compensation to electricity generators and other "strongly affected" industries under the Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Green Paper.

The scorecard awarded 2 stars to firms which had more than 50 per cent of their generating capacity comprised of gas or renewable power stations. One star was awarded to firms with 10 to 50 per cent of their generating capacity gas or renewable. Firms with less than 10 per cent of their generating capacity gas or renewable received no stars. One star was awarded for a quantified emission reduction target and 1 or 2 stars for investment in low emission research or renewable energy.

WWF wrote to all firms audited, requesting information in relation to generating capacity and low emission research, development and investment. In instances where WWF did not receive a response, it relied upon the list of principle power stations appended to the House of Representatives' recent inquiry and subsequent report into geosequestration technology. The conservation organisation also referenced company websites and annual and sustainability reports.

Alcoa did not respond to WWF's request for information.

Alcoa has a single brown coal-fired power station at Anglesea in Victoria. The power station is one of the oldest and most polluting in the country and does not have an emission reduction target. It is irrelevant that Alcoa could make the situation worse - as it suggests in its September 4 response to the scorecard - by closing the plant and using power from even more polluting Victorian power stations. Alcoa has not reduced emissions from Anglesea.

Alcoa asserts that it has a gas-fired power station in its Pinjarra refinery. This power station is not listed in the House of Representatives' report and material on Alcoa's website suggests that this plant only provides steam to Alcoa's operations - with another firm being the owner of the electricity generated by this plant. If Alcoa does indeed have a gas-fired power station, it is unfortunate it did not respond to WWF's letter so that information could be incorporated.

Alcoa has not adopted quantified pollution reduction targets in respect of its electricity generation capacity. It has adopted global emission reduction targets in respect of its direct emissions (essentially industrial process but no doubt including some electricity generation). However, these targets are not reduced to a national level. There is little point in adopting global targets if attempts by Australian Governments to reduce emissions are met by opposition by Alcoa nationally.

As for Alcoa's carbon sequestration technology trials, these relate to industrial process emissions - not electricity generation - so were not scored. WWF-Australia was unable to find any evidence of Alcoa investing money in low emission energy generation research and development or renewable energy generation for its power plants although a variety of general assertions were made of "support".

WWF-Australia also disputes the claim that if Alcoa withdraws from Australia it will have a negative impact on the environment. Alcoa's website clearly indicates that Alcoa's proposed new smelters will be built in locations where hydro or geothermal zero emission power will be used instead of highly polluting coal.

While refuting Alcoa's response, WWF-Australia admits to an error of fact in relation to AGL on the Power Generator Scorecard. WWF-Australia awarded three stars to AGL instead of four - the additional star awarded for 'Low Emission Generation Mix'. This error arose from a typographical error in the analysis documents. WWF apologises to AGL for this error.

Paul Toni
Development and Sustainability Manager
WWF-Australia

WWF's media release and scorecard

4 Sep: Aussie power generators flunk carbon test

Alcoa's Response to WWF Carbon Report

It is absurd and inaccurate to suggest that Alcoa is unprepared for a low-carbon future.

Alcoa took a voluntary global leadership position on addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 1996. In 2003, Alcoa achieved its target of reducing global direct greenhouse gas emissions by 25% from a base year of 1990. Since 2003, Alcoa has further reduced global direct greenhouse gas emissions to 33% below 1990 levels.

Alcoa is continually reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency, productivity improvements and new technology. Alcoa's operations in Australia are among the most greenhouse and energy efficient in the world. For example, alumina produced by Alcoa in Australia uses just over half the energy and produces less than half the greenhouse emissions compared to alumina produced in China.

The Anglesea Power Station runs at benchmark efficiency for a plant of its age and has the lowest GHG emissions per megawatt hour for brown coal generators in the state. If Alcoa was to replace the power from Anglesea and acquire it from the other state generators, then this would have a negative environmental impact on the overall state emissions (approx. 750,000 tonnes of additional CO2, using an average of the La Trobe Valley generator emissions).

Alcoa has made significant efficiency gains in both direct and total emissions per tonne of product (GHG intensity) across operations. We have reduced direct greenhouse emissions per tonne of production at our smelters by 61% from 1990 levels and at our refineries by 11% from 1990 levels. Alcoa's gas-fired alumina refineries are among the most efficient in the world and include co-generation at our Pinjarra refinery.

Alcoa is a leader in the area of environmental reporting. Alcoa was one of the earliest companies to join the Australian Government's Greenhouse Challenge Plus Programme which is designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industry. We have been voluntarily reporting our emissions to the Federal Government under this Programme for several years, and have responded readily to new regulations like the National Greenhouse Energy Reporting System. We produce Environmental Improvement Plans (EIPs) for each of our sites nationally, developed in consultation with our communities and the EPA. The EIPs detail our emissions reduction targets and action plans to achieve these targets. All these reports are publically available and can be found on our website, along with our Sustainability Report 07.

Alcoa's global research and development facility at Kwinana in WA has brought Carbon Capture technology to the industry, already in operation at our Kwinana refinery and taking the equivalent of 17,500 cars off the road. We are supporting the development of Wind Power at our Portland Aluminium smelter, and Alcoa has invested significant resources in assessing the feasibility of clean coal technology in recent years. The mining operations have successfully trialled an environmentally friendly diesel that has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions from its mining fleet by around 25 percent.

We are working relentlessly to ensure an appropriate Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is implemented that supports industrial competitiveness, Australian jobs, and greenhouse solutions. Driving the aluminium industry off shore will achieve none of these aims and would have an even greater negative impact on the environment.

All our reports are available at www.alcoa.com.au along with our full position on climate change.

Media contact: Michaela Southby, 0400 127 427

http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/news/releases/2008093_responsetowwf.asp, accessed 10 September 2008

Of threatened species in Australia estimated to have less than 10 percent of their habitats in protected areas, 39 per cent are located in Queensland, WWF found. The next worse off State was Western Australia with 18 percent.

The leading conservation organisation also recently revealed that Queensland has the lowest percentage of total land in protected areas of all the States and Territories.

WWF has called on the Qld Government to guarantee at least $10 million a year to bring poorly protected habitats of the state’s vulnerable species into new national parks and nature reserves.

"Queensland recently committed to more than double protected areas by 2020," said Dr Martin Taylor, author of the report and Protected Areas Policy Manager with WWF Australia.

"Queensland needs to boost its parks acquisition and management budgets immediately to keep this commitment and take advantage of $180 million of new Commonwealth funds available for the expansion of protected areas, announced earlier this year," Dr Taylor said.

The Queensland species with least habitat protection include the Mary River Cod and Turtle, whose river habitats are seriously threatened by the proposed Traveston Dam.

"National parks and nature reserves are the proven best and most secure method of arresting declines of threatened wildlife toward extinction and buffering nature against climate change," Dr Taylor said.

Telstra is a proud partner of WWF's Building Nature's Safety Net campaign to expand wildlife protected areas.

Telstra Executive Director Mr Martin Mercer said Telstra’s partnership with WWF demonstrates Telstra is committed to taking its environmental responsibilities very seriously.

“We are proud to partner with WWF to play a part in developing solutions and encouraging the expansion of protected areas for Australia’s native wildlife, with a focus on safeguarding poorly protected and endangered ecosystems for Australia’s unique native species,” Mr Mercer said.

WWF said the analysis was restricted to information contained in recovery plans. A more comprehensive analysis is underway that may reveal different patterns."

The full report can be downloaded from wwf.org.au/publications/species_gap_analysis

For more information

Dr Martin Taylor, WWF-Australia's Protected Areas Policy Manager
Phone: 0406 384 289

Julian Murphy, WWF- Australia Press Office
Phone: 0418 970 778

Professor Ross Garnaut's Targets and Trajectories report has proposed a Australian target of 10 per cent reduction by 2020, which would not do near enough to avoid the dangers of climate change.

"As an international organisation, WWF is very aware foreign leaders expect the Australian Government to set a really ambitious emission reduction target," said Greg Bourne, WWF-Australia's CEO.

Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and has enormous potential to reduce energy and industrial emissions. It is also important we offset our agricultural and transport emissions by assisting Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea to end tropical deforestation.

WWF said that, despite its disagreement with the target proposed, Professor Garnaut is to be congratulated on thoroughness and rigour with which he has approached his task.

WWF said the business community had to stop asking for handouts that take away needed investment in the low emissions economy and transfer the burden to the householder and other parts of the economy.

"We have to play to win - not play to lose," Mr Bourne said. "It's time for our political and business leaders to act like statesmen in order to make the tough decisions to reshape our economy. There are enormous benefits if we seize the day and build the infrastructure for the future.

"We must plan for our future prosperity rather than remain tied to the past. We will still be endowed with cheap energy, relative to other nations.

"As the rest of the world inevitably moves to take on a carbon price, Australia can make the most of being an early mover, giving us a competitive advantage over other countries."

Mr Bourne said there was always some degree of pain with such large scale shifts, but Australians need our leaders to maintain a firm resolve and work together to fight climate change.

"Our actions from this point on will be judged by future generations. It is WWF-Australia's hope our children will take pride in our actions rather than be ashamed by what this generation lost through self- interest and equivocation."

For more information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Press Office, 02 8202 1295, 0418 617 366

]]> Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:01 +1000 http%3A%2F%2Fwwf.org.au%2Fnews%2Fqld-forest-clearing-loopholes-costly-in-climate-change-battle%2F http://wwf.org.au/news/qld-forest-clearing-loopholes-costly-in-climate-change-battle/ Forest clearing throughout Queensland has again spiralled out of control, accounting for 24 per cent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions, WWF said today.

After Dr Ross Garnaut this week said the preservation of northern Australia's forests is essential to combat climate change, new figures reveal the practice continues unabated in Queensland.

The Statewide Landcover and Trees Study confirmed 375,000 hectares of forest was cleared in 2005-06, the equivalent of 5.1 million average-sized suburban blocks of land.

The leading conservation organisation says that despite new state laws, loopholes have allowed farmers to find new ways to clear an enormous and unacceptable amount of land.

WWF is calling for a clearing moratorium until the loopholes are plugged in order to help reduce Queensland's carbon emissions, which are the highest for any state per capita in the country.

"There have been a lot of good intentions in recent years, but the fact remains total clearing is relatively unchanged from the 1990s," said Nick Heath, WWF's Queensland Program Leader.

"Land clearing is still occurring on a huge scale, causing 41.1 million tonnes of carbon emissions and driving seriously threatened wildlife towards extinction."

At a conservative carbon price of $20 per tonne, closing these loopholes and protecting northern forests will save Queensland and Australia $800m per year.

WWF is insisting the State Government plug four legal loopholes to reduce clearing, including:

1. "Regrowth" exemption: 10-14 million hectares of recovering Queensland forests, often including endangered, vulnerable and threatened ecosystems can be cleared without a permit. This is about twice the size of Tasmania.
2. Fodder Harvesting Code: over 110,000 hectares of Mulga trees cleared or "harvested".
3. Urban, mining and infrastructure exemptions in small, but highly biodiverse areas.
4. Boosted compliance to tackle unknown amounts of illegal clearing.

"The single largest environmental win of the Beattie era is being eroded. The Government cannot currently claim a significant clearing reduction as its legacy," Mr Heath said.

For more information

Nick Heath, Program Leader for Queensland: 041 888 5324

Julian Murphy, Press Officer: 0418 970 778

Timeline - Land clearing in Queensland

1800s+ Land clearing in Queensland follows the spread of white settlers

Post WWII Clearing rate soars. Twice as much land cleared in 50 years after WWII than in previous 150 years.

1960s First signs of concern about the level of clearing taking place in Queensland.

1970s Conservationists begin campaign to tackle highest rates of clearing in the developed world.

1991 For the first time leaseholders require a permit to clear land.

1999 Beattie Government enacts a new Vegetation Management Act to protect "endangered" forests.

2000 "Panic clearing" across the state, while State and Commonwealth squabble about compensating landholders.

2000 New laws failing to prevent record rates of clearing, huge public campaign condemning the practice. Premier Peter Beattie promises to take action.

2004 Election commitment to strengthen laws to ban broadscale clearing of all remnant clearing, but allowing exemption for recovering forests.

2006 Fodder harvesting code developed to assist farmers in overgrazed areas.

2006 Broadscale ban on remnant clearing becomes law on 31 December.

2008 Queensland DNRW release SLATs report indicating changed pattern of clearing targeting loopholes in the reforms.

National Threatened Species Day is held on September 7 each year to highlight the pressures faced by Australia's native animals and plants. September 7 is the day in 1936 when the last Tasmanian tiger died in captivity in Hobart Zoo.

With twenty per cent of Australia's animal and plant species now threatened, WWF is highlighting the plight of our beautiful threatened macropods - a unique group of marsupials including tree kangaroos, rat kangaroos, hare and rock wallabies. Of the 53 species that existed before European settlement, six are now extinct with more at risk if urgent action is not taken.

"While most people know of the red kangaroo and other common kangaroos, they are unlikely to be aware of their smaller relatives, which include the rock wallaby, hare wallaby and tree kangaroo," said Kat Miller, WWF's Threatened Species National Manager.

"These beautiful creatures are now threatened with extinction, facing dangers such as habitat loss, introduced cat and fox predators, altered fire regimes, and now climate change – both of which diminish their habitat range. With 23 of Australia's macropod species now under threat, we risk further extinctions if we don't act quickly to restore habitats and reduce invasive species."

"We're currently faced with a choice – we can either take action to save our precious macropods and similar threatened species, or we can choose to sit back and ignore the problem. If we choose the latter, we can be sure that Australia's macropod species will suffer the same fate as the Tasmanian tiger – which has been lost forever," Ms Miller said.

"Without urgent action we risk losing more of the 346 animal and 1,249 plant species that are listed as threatened under federal legislation. Australia has the worst record of mammal extinction in the world. Incredibly, with half the mammals that have become extinct globally in the last 200 years, have been Australian species. We cannot afford to let more of our unique Australian animals disappear forever."

WWF is calling on all Australians to help protect the nation's threatened species, like the brush-tailed rock wallaby and the bridled nail-tailed wallaby, by getting involved in threatened species conservation.

"People can assist by joining a conservation or community group and assisting with nature conservation activities such as tree planting and revegetation schemes," Ms Miller said said. "They can also ensure they keep domestic animals inside at night so they don't escape and become feral predators."

For more information

Helen Pitman, WWF-Australia Communications Manager, 0439 605 107

Kat Miller, WWF-Australia Threatened Species National Manager, 0429 203 675

Download

• State of Australia's threatened macropods
• National Threatened Species Day 2008 Factsheets