Australia lost the most mammal species in the world, ‘shocking’ report reveals

Over 200 animal and plant species have been declared ‘threatened’ in last five years

Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent in the world, and more are headed towards extinction in the coming years due to a combined effect of habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, mining and climate change, the “shocking” state of the environment report has warned.

The Australian government’s long-awaited 2021 State of the Environment Report, a five-yearly environmental report card, was released on Tuesday after a year-long wait, and it paints a grim picture of the country’s unique biodiversity, which has been destroyed at an unprecedented rate over the last few years.

More than 100 Australian species, including eight species of wallabies alone, have been declared extinct or extinct in the wild. While 202 animal and plant species have been declared “threatened”.