Western Australia’s delayed conservation actions linked to recent marsupial extinctions

In the most recent IUCN Red List update, five Australian marsupials, among them the crested-tailed mulgara, were declared extinct, underscoring a history of inadequate conservation in Western Australia. Since its recognition as a distinct species in 2005, the mulgara faced habitat destruction from mining, altered land conditions, and predation by foxes and feral cats, but remained listed only as “near threatened” by the state Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attraction and was removed from the Commonwealth threatened species list in 2019.

Scientific panels cited limited monitoring and uncertain population data as reasons for not granting EPBC Act protection, despite multiple studies warning of rapid declines. The article points to the numbat’s recent downlisting as a success story achievable through sustained investment, while warning that ongoing mining, habitat clearing, and delayed recovery plans for species like the western swamp tortoise continue to jeopardize biodiversity. The Conservation Council of WA calls for reforms to the Biodiversity Conservation Act, stronger cumulative impact assessments, and enforceable recovery funding to shift from reactive to preventive conservation.