NATIONAL THREATENED SPECIES DAY
Did you know there might be threatened wildlife living near you? Discover what animals need protection in your local area using WWF-Australia's 'My Backyard' tool, and find out how well they're being cared for.
7 September marks an important date in Australian history - the death of the last remaining Tasmanian tiger.
On 7 September each year, many people stop and reflect on the fact that on that same date in 1936, Australia’s Tasmanian tiger, also known as the thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), slipped over the extinction line.
60 years later in 1996, the Threatened Species Network founded by WWF-Australia and the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust established National Threatened Species Day to commemorate the death of the last Tasmanian tiger at Hobart Zoo.
National Threatened Species Day is a day when we shine a spotlight on all the Australian native animal and plant species that are facing similar fates to that of the Tasmanian tiger. Today we celebrate our iconic Aussie wildlife and the incredible conservation work to restore our environment is our mission to Regenerate Nature. Since the devastating 2019-20 bushfires, WWF-Australia has collaborated with our dedicated partners to conduct on-the-ground projects and we’re seeing incredible results. From discovering the silver-headed antechinus population in Queensland survived the megafires, to rewilding the brush-tailed bettong on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, we have restored habitat, re-introduced species and taken steps to safeguard the future of our diverse ecosystems.
Sadly, since 2022, 163 species have been newly listed as threatened. There are now over 2,000 species of plant, animal and ecological communities officially listed as threatened under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. This includes more than 590 native animals.
Three Ways You Can Support Threatened Species
1. Protect Aussie Wildlife
Join us in calling for stronger nature laws and the funding needed to save threatened species.
2. Bring Back The Bounce
Donate today to help save our small but mighty ecosystem engineers like the bandicoot, bettong and potoroo from extinction.
3. Explore Your Backyard
Learn about the wildlife that call your backyard home, and what you can do to save them.