Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Despite the fact that Oceania is the smallest and least populated continent in the world, it is home to Australia and Papua New Guinea, 2 of the approximately 20 megadiverse countries on the planet. Its immense variety of species makes it a paradise for biologists and researchers from around the world, who constantly inform the media and local and international communities about the conservation status of the most threatened species.
Due to human activity, climate change, invasive species and some diseases, many populations of endemic and resident animal species in the region have been depleted and even extinct. Creatures like moas, haast's eagles, Maclear's rats, and marsupial wolves have perished in recent decades. If you have been interested in the subject, keep reading this article by Ecologist Verde and discover some species of endangered animals in Oceania.
Tasmanian devil
Tasmanian devils or Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) they are the most large carnivorous marsupials nowadays. They only inhabit Tasmania (an island belonging to Australia) and feed on carrion and small or medium-sized prey such as wombats, bettongs, snakes, rat kangaroos and sheep.
They are in Danger of extinction Because they were indiscriminately hunted during the first half of the 20th century, they are often run over when they stop to eat dead animals on the highways and mainly because of the Tasmanian devil disease of facial tumors, which is a highly contagious cancer. aggressive.
Kakapo
The kakapo or kákapu (Strigops habroptilus) is a New Zealand endemic flightless night bird. It is the only flightless parrot and also the heaviest in the world. It feeds exclusively on plants, flowers and fruits and is characterized by its greenish plumage and the whiskers that surround its beak.
They are in critical danger of extinction due to the destruction of their habitat and to the fact that they are preyed upon by introduced species such as cats, rats and stoats. Currently fewer than 210 specimens remain worldwide.
To learn more about the kakapos and other species of birds in the area and other birds with similar characteristics, we encourage you to read our articles on:
- +20 Australian birds: names and pictures.
- Night birds: names and types.
- 10 birds that do not fly.
Bulme's Fruit Bat
Bulme's fruit bat (Aproteles bulmerae) is an endemic species of the New Guinea island. It lives in caves in mountainous forests between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea at more than 1800 meters above sea level.
It's in critical danger of extinction due to hunting and loss of habitat. By 2016, the IUCN estimated its population at less than 160 specimens[1].
Image: Pinterest
Hector's dolphin
Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) is a toothed cetacean that inhabits the seas and coasts of New Zealand. At just 1.6 meters long and weighing 60 kilograms, it is the smallest dolphin in the world.
This is another of the endangered animals in Oceania, as it is listed in this section of Danger of extinction for a long time. Its main threats are accidental capture with fishing nets, collision with naval propellers and pollution. According to the IUCN, Héctor's dolphin population does not exceed 7,400 individuals[2].
Alcatraz by Abbott
Abbott's gannet (Papasula abbotti) is a medium-sized seabird endemic to the Indian Ocean. Nests only in the Christmas island, so your body is adapted to fly enormous distances. It can live up to 40 years and feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.
It's in Danger of extinction due to alterations to their habitat. According to the IUCN, the world population of Abbott gannets is around 6,000 mature individuals[3].
Warbler of Kiritimati
The Warbler of Kiritimati (Acrocephalus aequinoctialis) is a small passerine bird that lives in the Kiribati islands, northeast of Australia. It is olive-gray in color, weighs approximately 230 grams and does not present sexual dimorphism.
It's in Danger of extinction due to sea level rises caused by climate change and predation by introduced species.
Image: Pinterest
Lord Howe Island Stick Insect
The stick insect of Lord Howe Island (Dryococelus australis) is a flightless insect of the Phasmatidae family, with nocturnal habits and a long and thick body. Females are significantly larger than males, reaching more than 20 centimeters and weighing more than 1 ounce.
The species was believed extinct since 1930 and was rediscovered in 2001. According to the IUCN or red list of endangered species it is in critical danger of extinction, since there is only a record of a population of less than 30 individuals on an uninhabited islet near Lord Howe Island[4]. For many, it is considered the world's rarest known insect.
Southern corroboree frog
The southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) is an anuran amphibian endemic to the southeastern Australia. Its diet is based on insects and larvae and is characterized by its striking dorsal pattern of bright black and lemon yellow stripes.
Is found in critical danger of extinction due to climate change, forest fires, the introduction of invasive species and the destruction of their habitat.
Western swamp turtle
The western swamp turtle (Pseudemydura umbrina) is a freshwater reptile that lives in small segmented populations in the Southwest Australia.
It's in critical danger of extinction due to predation due to introduced species, the segmentation and destruction of their habitat and the decrease in rainfall due to climate change.
Image: Earth
Other endangered animals in Oceania
In addition to those already mentioned, these are more Oceania animal species endangered or critically endangered:
- Northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii).
- Quokka (Setonix brachyurus).
- Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus).
- Eastern quol (Dasyurus viverrinus).
- Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi).
- Golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus).
- Long-tailed kangaroo-rat (Bettongia penicillata).
- Northern bettong (Bettongia tropica).
- Coligorda rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus).
- King rat (Uromys rex).
- D’entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys (Pogonomys fergussoniensis).
- Mountain Pygmy Opossum (Burramys parvus).
- Christmas Island Flying Fox (Pteropus natalis).
- Christmas Island Shrew (Crocidura trichura).
- Regent Honeycreeper (Anthochaera phrygia).
- Black-eared honeycreeper (Manorina melanotis).
- Tahitian monarch (Pomarea nigra).
- Tuamotu Partridge Pigeon (Pampusana erythroptera).
- Frigatebird of Christmas (Fregata andrewsi).
- Short-billed Funeral Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris).
- Long-billed Funeral Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii).
- South Island takahe swamphen (Porphyrio hochstetteri).
- Yellow-spotted tree frog (Litoria castanea).
- Blue Mountain Water Skink (Eulamprus leuraensis).
- Mollusk Aaadonta constricta.
- Mollusk Aaadonta fuscozonata.
- Mollusk Aaadonta irregularis.
- Aaadonta kinlochi mollusk.
- Mollusk Aaadonta pelewana.
- Javanese Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera javanica).
- Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus).
- Southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii).
- Oceanic shark (Carcharhinus longimanus).
- Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus).
- Common hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini).
- Giant hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran).
- Whale shark (Rhincodon typus).
- Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus).
- Fin whale (Balaenoptera borealis).
- Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
- Green turtle (Chelonia mydas).
To learn more, we encourage you to read this other article about Endangered Animals in Australia.
If you want to read more articles similar to Endangered animals in OceaniaWe recommend that you enter our category of Endangered Animals.
References- Aproteles bulmerae (Bulmer's Fruit Bat). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/1933/22136238
- Cephalorhynchus hectori (Hector's Dolphin or Hector's dolphin). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4162/44199757
- Papasula abbotti (Abbott's Booby or Alcatraz by Abbott). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22696649/152726109
- Dryococelus australis (Lord Howe Island Stick-insect). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6852/21426226
- Drafting of National Geographic Spain. (October 5, 2022). National Geographic Spain. Expedition to Nueva Guinea: the birds and mammals of the Foja mountains. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com.es/naturaleza/expedicion-a-nueva-guinea-aves-y-mamiferos-montes-foja_2574/27
