COSMOS MAGAZINE
Irwin's turtle is now listed as vulnerable. Credit: Australia Zoo.
This decision underscores Australia’s worsening extinction crisis as the nation continues to grapple with one of the worst extinctionrates in the world.
The vulnerable Australian humpback dolphin. Credit: Dolphin Research Australia.
The newly added species include the vulnerable Irwin’s Turtle, Murray Crayfish, and Australian Humpback Dolphin; the endangered Mount Ballow Mountain Frog; and the critically endangered Wadbilliga Ash.
In 2023, a record-breaking 144 species were added to the threatened species list — five times more than the yearly average. In 2024, 56 more were added. Now, more than 2,000 species are recognised as threatened in Australia.