10 EXTINCT ANIMALS IN AUSTRALIA (AND WHY WE MUST ACT NOW)

Did you know Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world? Our unique Aussie wildlife, found nowhere else on Earth, is disappearing. Australia’s weak nature laws (the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act) are failing to protect these species, due to loopholes that allow habitat destruction to continue. In Australia, a staggering 67 native animals are now officially listed as extinct. Gone for good. You might think extinction is a thing of the past. But it’s happening right now. There are currently over 2,000 native animals and plants on Australia’s threatened species list and at risk of extinction.

If we don’t act now, more of our beloved animals will vanish. Forever. Imagine it’s 20 years in the future. You’re sharing stories with your kids or grandkids about the Australia you grew up in, filled with wildlife, birds and frogs. However, instead of spotting native fauna in the bush, you now read about them in books or see them in a museum. Now to the scary part. Here’s a list of 10 extinct Australian animals that serves as a tragic reminder of what we’ve lost.

1. Tasmanian tiger (or Thylacine) (Thylacinus cynocephalus)

The world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, the Tasmanian tiger (also known as Thylacine) was once widespread across Australia and later found only in Tasmania. Reasons for extinction suggest competition with the dingo and hunting by humans. The last known Thylacine died in captivity in Hobart in 1936.

2. Pig-footed bandicoot (Chaeropus ecaudatus)

This delicate marsupial had uniquely shaped feet that resembled a pig’s foot. It is likely to have been wiped out due to habitat changes from changed fire regimes and the introduction of predators like cats. It was last seen in 1945.

3. Desert rat-kangaroo (Caloprymnus campestris)

This small kangaroo-like marsupial—known to local Aboriginal people as the ”oolacunta”—was once widespread in desert regions of Australia after prolonged periods of rain. The combination of extended drought conditions and predation by introduced species led to its decline. The last confirmed sighting was in 1935.

4. Lesser bilby (Macrotis leucura)

Unlike its surviving relative, the greater bilby, the lesser bilby couldn’t withstand the pressures of introduced predators and degradation of its habitat. It’s estimated this species died out in the 1960s.

5. Toolache wallaby (Notamacropus greyi)

This wallaby was driven to extinction due to hunting, habitat destruction and the introduction of predators like the European red fox. The last sighting in the wild was in 1924.

6. Southern gastric-brooding frog (Rheobatrachus silus)

Found in southeast Queensland, the last recording in the wild was in 1981 and declared extinct in 2000. Land use changes from logging, water quality, invasive species and a disease affecting amphibians are listed as factors in their extinction.

7. Broad-faced potoroo (Potorous platyops)

This small marsupial was found in southwest Australia however, not much is known about it. The last recorded capture of the animal was in 1875 and the species is presumed to have become extinct sometime before 1905.

8. King Island emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae minor)

A smaller relative of the mainland emu, this species was wiped out within decades of European arrival, due to hunting and habitat destruction. The last one died in captivity in 1822.

9. Paradise parrot (Psephotellus pulcherrimus)

The paradise parrot was native to Queensland and the NSW border area of eastern Australia. It was last seen in 1927. It is the only Australian parrot recorded as disappearing.

10. Bramble Cay melomys (Melomys rubicola)

This native Australian rodent once flourished on Bramble Cay, a small island at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. However, populations declined rapidly and it was declared extinct in 2016—taking the unfortunate title of the first mammal lost due to climate change.

Why more action is needed to prevent further extinctions

Despite these tragic losses, Australia continues to see its wildlife decline.

Threatened species like the greater glider and koala are at risk due to habitat destruction and climate change.

Our nature laws are supposed to stop the destruction of critical wildlife habitat. But they aren't working. Without stronger protections for nature, more species will be lost.

Together, let’s take action: Send a message to your local member of parliament, calling on them to strengthen weak nature laws and provide adequate funding to save threatened species.