Is this the next Tasmanian Tiger?
Eastern quoll - an Australian species threatened by climate change
© Bruce Thompson - auswildlife.com
Climate change remains one of the greatest threats to animals and plants throughout the world. Our continued reliance on coal-fired electricity and the consumption of other fossil fuels is causing the earth to overheat, resulting in a massive change to the habitats all species - including humans - rely on to survive.
This year’s National Threatened Species Day - held on 7 September to commemorate the loss of the last Tasmanian Tiger on earth in 1936 - is an opportunity to consider how our everyday actions are contributing to the global warming impacting so heavily on our species.
In Australia today, many species are on the brink of extinction due to the effects of climate change on their habitat and food sources. WWF is working to reduce the impacts of climate change on our native animal and plant populations by helping communities to safeguard habitats for the future.
Homeless turtles
In West Australia's Ningaloo reef - one of the world's largest fringing coral reefs and home to a staggering abundance of marine life. The already endangered loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles depend on the reef and coastal areas for food, breeding and nesting.
If sea levels continue to rise at current rates, turtle nesting sites in Ningaloo and other coastal and reef areas throughout the South Pacific will disappear in our lifetime.
The Ningaloo Turtle Program - partly funded by WWF - monitors marine turtles and the areas where they nest, feed and breed, helping to identify areas that are important to turtles now so that conservation efforts can be focused on turtle habitat preservation in the future.
Hot cross bilbies
The bilby is one of Australia's most unique marsupials and one of its most threatened. One hundred years ago, it could be found throughout most of Australia but today these small, long-eared creatures are limited to northern desert areas.
An increase in the massive bushfires that sweep across central and northern Australia threatens food sources and shelter for animals like the bilby.
WWF contributes funds to the Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Scheme which combines satellite fire mapping technology, helicopters, and on-ground action by Indigenous rangers to achieve a significant reduction in the area burnt each year, giving hope to wildlife in the region.
Goodbye possums!
Snow cover in Australia's alpine areas has been disappearing in the last two decades. Areas with at least 30 days of snow cover annually are predicted to shrink by up to 96% over the next 65 years.
This decreased snow cover is affecting many species in the Australian Alps, such as the mountain pygmy possum and alpine skinks. WWF is examining the threats to alpine species and what they need to survive in these regions. It is hoped that the results of this work will greatly improve the chances of long-term survival for these animals.
Futuremakers unite
It is often hard to imagine the kind of impact making small changes in our lives has on the environment. Turning off unused lights, using compact fluorescent light globes instead of regular globes, or switching to Green Power may no seem like much of a difference in the effort to save the hawksbill turtle or the greater bilby.
But as Futuremakers, we need to consider how together these and other daily actions can make a difference to the impacts of climate change on our native Australian species. On 7 September, National Threatened Species Day, consider making these simple changes in your life and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
The future of our fragile Australian wildlife depends on our choices. What happens next is up to us.
Simple actions you can take on 7 September
Replace all your regular light globes with compact fluorescent globes
Compact fluorescent light globes (CFLs) use up to 80% less energy than normal light globes use and they last much longer (up to 8 times), reducing cost over the life of the globe and reducing land fill as less globes are chucked away.
If every family in Australia switched to CFLs we'd reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.7 billion kilograms!
You can buy CFLs at most places that sell traditional light globes - be sure to buy the ones labeled "warm white" - or online through Neco. The U.S. based Environmental Defense has a great article on CFLs if you are looking for more information.
Turn off lights at home when you leave a room
Does it make a difference? At 8.45pm on 3 June last year,14 million Thai businesses and households turned off one unused light. In just five minutes, Thailand's national electricity consumption dropped enough to shut down one of the country's 14 power stations. It does makes a difference!
Switch to green power
By contacting your electricity provider and switching to 100% renewable energy, an average household can reduce its greenhouse emissions by eight tonnes a year (the equivalent of taking 2 cars off the road for a year).
Find out more about Green Power and how you can flick the switch.
Action you can take in the next six months
Look out for and take part in volunteer opportunities and events in your area. Contact the Threatened Species Network (TSN) coordinator in your state to find out about volunteer opportunities which directly help protect and preserve our species. (TSN is a partnership between WWF and the Natural Heritage Trust which directly funds local species projects throughout Australia.)
For example, you can join the turtle monitoring program in Ningaloo or become a North Bondi CoastKeeper by taking part in marine surveys.
