If the nine birds added to the threatened species list last week got you riled up for some environmental action, wait until you find out about the doubled list of endangered fish species.
The Guardian reported that nine new species of fish were given the critically endangered status back in March. This includes all types of galaxias, such as the short-tail galaxias, the tapered galaxias and the East Gippsland and West Gippsland galaxias.
Conservation director at the Invasive Species Council, James Trezise, mentioned that these freshwater fish “are some Australia’s most vulnerable animals” and that they have a “greater than 50 per cent chance of going extinct in the wild in the next 20 years.” And honestly, those 20 years are going to creep up fast and we need to do something ASAP.
“If we are serious about stopping extinctions, then we need to tackle the major threats that are driving declines of our native animals… Scientists have recommended a threat abatement plan be established for freshwater pest fish, yet this hasn’t happened,” Trezise said while speaking to The Guardian.
There are many factors that have possibly contributed to the endangerment of our fresh Aussie fish friends including an invasive trout which forced the fish to migrate to smaller areas, but of course extreme climate events, such as droughts, have contributed to the threats to these fish, according to University of Canberra associate professor, Mark Lintermans.
Lintermans told The Guardian that the fish were “underwater and overlooked.”
But in lighter, more happier news, Charles Sturt University bred some of the endangered galaxias fish back in February.
Dr Amina Price, a University staff member and leader of the captive breeding project, told ABC News, “the strategy was to try and build up more populations across the landscape so that if there is a natural or human made disturbance in one part of the landscape, we have other populations elsewhere.”
It’s extremely disheartening, especially alongside the nine birds who were added to the threatened species list last week.
But as Birdlife Australia’s Sean Dooley said, “it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
Can we skip to the better part?
