The vast continent of Australia is home to some of the most beautiful plants and animals on the planet. Many have developed in beautiful geological solitude and are located nowhere else on the planet.
Unfortunately, according to the IUCN, Australia has 96 critically endangered animal species. We'll be profiling each of them in the coming months, looking at the risks to their survival, what's been done to protect them, and what else needs to be done.
The highest vulnerability rating that can be applied to a wild species is "critically endangered" (lower categories are "endangered" and "vulnerable"). These animals are either on the verge of extinction, or their numbers have declined (or may decrease) by 80% in three decades. Any of these animals may be extinct already.
According to The Guardian, Australia now has 34 extinct mammals on the registry, making it the "world's capital for mammal extinction."
Related Article: Mass Extinction Hits Australia With The Death of 13 Species
Here are five of the most critically endangered mammal species in Australia:
Brush-tailed Bettong
The Carpentarian rock-rat is a medium-sized rock-rat with a fattened tail base (average weight 120 g). The tail is usually longer than the head-body length, but it is always cut off, resulting in a stub. It has brown fur on top and pale white fur on the bottom. The tops of the feet are dark.
These rock rats are exclusively found in a small area in Australia, making the conservation efforts even harder.
ALSO READ: 5 Endangered Animals that Won the Battle Against Extinction
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