Australia's spot-tailed quoll is under threat of extinction
02 Oct 2008
Australia's largest mainland carnivore is under serious threat of extinction, warns WWF-Australia in the lead up to World Animal Day.
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
Building Nature's Safety Net is a joint initiative by WWF and Telstra to expand wildlife protected areas for Australia's endangered animals.
