Little Qld station’s huge contribution to reef science
A research station on the Great Barrier Reef is celebrating its profound impact on global marine science, at a time when coral reefs are in the crosshairs.
conservation
Major threats to wildlife not recognised in law
Logging is putting native species at risk but the practice is not listed as a key threatening process under federal environment laws, a hearing has been told.
Experts to consider critical listing for ancient fish
An ancient fish on the brink of extinction could be listed as critically endangered within a fortnight, after such action was passed over just last year.
Plibersek demands ‘extreme’ action to save ancient fish
An ancient fish that's suffered under the pressures of salmon farming could be the first to go extinct under federal environment laws, a hearing has been told.
Parks chief struggled to find cash for pest control
The managers of Australia's national parks had to make tough choices during a decade of underfunding that prevented basic activities from being carried out.
Threatened species dudded by planting scheme: study
Simplistic concerns about cost trumped outcomes for imperilled species under a high-profile program to plant 20 million trees across Australia, researchers say.
Fire returns to the Kimberley on heels of epic flood
Fire has struck Western Australia's Kimberley region a few short months after record floods, but careful management should give nature a leg up.
New nature watchdog short-changed in budget: Wilkie
A new watchdog for Australia's natural environment has been given just one-third of the cash it needs in the federal budget, an independent MP says.
Bushfires a brutal blow for threatened Aussie frogs
A frog that makes a farting noise and another that keeps its tadpoles in "pockets" are amongst the Aussie amphibians hit hard by the Black Summer fires.
They breed ’em tough at Ningaloo as coral warms to task
Scientists at WA's World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef are breeding extra-tough coral capable of surviving climate change-induced mass bleaching events.
Rubble-loving fish a ‘glimmer of hope’ for Barrier Reef
While the most colourful denizens of a Great Barrier Reef island may have departed, their rubble-loving neighbours endure at the Australian natural wonder.
Pledge to save bilby for next ten years
A partnership to save the bilby involving the Queensland government includes a breeding program as well as removing feral species and repairing habitats.
Unknown risk in plastic rubbish lining Australian coast
Three-quarters of the waste littering Australia's coastline is now plastic with authorities yet to fully assess the risk posed by the pollution.
Scientist in awe of Antarctica’s beautiful frailty
Queensland Scientist Olaf Meynecke says a recent trip to study chubby whales in Antarctica has left him with a odd mix of trepidation and determination.
Deep ocean in deep trouble as Antarctic ice melts
A life-sustaining circulatory system for the deep ocean will quickly slow and may collapse entirely without emissions cuts this decade, Australian experts say.
Big wet ‘a stay of execution’ for Aussie environment
Australia's environmental health has improved after a few very wet years but it's unlikely to last in the face of climate change and relentless habitat loss.
Study charts decade of loss on Australian reefs
More than half of the most common species on the reefs that ring Australia have suffered population declines over the past decade, a new study has revealed.
Rambo, the fox who outfoxed the hunters, bites the dust
Wildlife officers are celebrating the demise of a fox named Rambo, who outfoxed veteran trackers tasked with hunting him down at a NSW wildlife refuge.
Red alert as our rarest bird of prey faces extinction
Researchers say Australia's rarest bird of prey - the red goshawk - is only breeding in one place in Queensland and could face extinction.
Pledge for national plan to splash out on ocean health
The federal environment minister has promised to develop Australia's first overarching plan to protect ocean health in the face of mounting pressures.
Landlocked moulting penguins just need a little space
Penguins are about to strip off at beaches across southern Australia, ramping up the pint-sized seabird's exposure to predators, including domestic dogs.
War on urchins aims to save kelp forests
Plagues of sea urchins will be harvested and turned into fertiliser under a plan to regenerate kelp forests and boost farming and fisheries at the same time.
Injured possum gets new lease on life in fake tree home
Queensland rangers have created a fake tree for a striped possum living with permanent spinal and shoulder damage after escaping the clutches of an eagle.
Flower-driven ‘madness’ behind rare orchid black market
The theft of 900 threatened orchids from a conservation park is evidence of a lust among collectors that's pushing some species further towards the brink.
New funding to fight reef-eating starfish
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation aims to unleash robotics, genetics, DNA, pheromones and natural predators against the crown-of-thorns starfish.
Thieves swipe rare orchids from WA conservation garden
Up to 900 of Western Australia's rarest orchids have been stolen from a conservation garden in a devastating blow for two species teetering on the brink.
Fireworks deliver long-term hit for wildlife: study
Fireworks can cause breeding and other long-term problems for wildlife and it's time to move to lower-impact spectacles, a new study says.
Feral brumbies rampant in Kosciuszko
NSW authorities have admitted feral brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park are even more abundant despite a plan to reduce wild horse numbers to 3000 by 2027.
Australians big on hunting trophies
Australians who like to kill exotic animals including bears and giraffes have made the country the 10th largest importer of hunting trophies, a new report says.
Federal laws fail at-risk species: report
Federal laws that are supposed to provide greater protection for the habitats of threatened species simply do not, a new analysis shows.
Freezing toads works but beware ‘zombies’
Australians have long hunted cane toads in inventive and not always kind ways. But there's a way to kill humanely and ward off the so-called zombie syndrome.