Snow gum dieback raises fears for largest river system
The snow gum forests of Australia's high country are dying, and it could have profound consequences for the nation's largest river system.
nature
Popular rat baits restricted over wildlife impacts
Conservationists are celebrating after the pesticides regulator moved to restrict rodenticides from sale due to their severe impact on native wildlife.
Owl be damned: regulator stops short of rat poison ban
Conservationists are pushing for a regulator to outlaw a common class of rodenticides having pervasive effects on owls and other native animals.
Dingo attack led to backpacker’s drowning: coroner
A young backpacker drowned after she was forced into waters by dingoes at a popular holiday destination while on a working holiday, a coroner has found.
Fossil wonderland submitted for World Heritage listing
A 58,000-hectare Australian expanse containing some of the world's oldest evidence of animal life could be included on the prestigious World Heritage list.
How mirroring nature might just save the humble oyster
Oyster reefs are already a restoration priority and Australian research could boost survival rates of the water-filtering, habitat-providing species.
Beaches set for holiday reopening after shark attacks
Popular beaches are expected to reopen in time for forecast hot weather across the long weekend after dozens were closed due to a series of shark attacks.
Man’s back and legs mauled in croc attack near creek
A man in his 20s has been airlifted to hospital following a crocodile attack in north Queensland, suffering puncture wounds to his back and legs near a creek.
Citizen scientist discovers ‘extinct’ native plant
A native plant species has been rediscovered decades after it was presumed extinct, highlighting the power of citizen science data in research and conservation.
Magpies paralysed as illness strikes swooper-stars
An unknown illness has left a wildlife hospital overwhelmed with injured magpies, while across the country a mysterious outbreak is killing the songbirds.
Gardens glory as four corpses bloom in one week
Visitors to a tropical botanic gardens are being enthralled by a collection of plants that produce a rancid odour likened to rotting flesh, and worse.
Bee-sieged island keeping deadly mite at bay
An island that is home to a unique population of honey bees hopes biosecurity measures will protect it from a deadly parasite taking hold across Australia.
Drivers told to paws and think of road risk to koalas
Wildlife volunteers remind drivers to keep their eyes peeled for koalas as summer road trips begin, with a spike in the number of car strikes in one region.
Environment reforms to pass after Labor-Greens deal
The first major changes in decades to Australia's long-criticised environment laws aim to better protect natural sites and speed up project approvals.
New offers made as clock starts ticking on nature talks
Environmentalists are pleading with the government to strike a deal with the Greens on major reforms which could include a crackdown on native forest logging.
Germany supports Brazil’s forest plan at climate talks
World leaders gathered on the edge of the imperilled Amazon rainforest for a second day of talks at the world's most important meeting on climate change.
The ecological disaster threatening Australian seabirds
Thousands of dead seabirds washed up on Australia's coastline two years ago following a marine heatwave and scientists warn history could repeat.
Aussies urged to join the big Bug Hunt for science
Aussies who have overwhelmingly backed a project to count native birds are now being asked to look under their feet - to stop invasive species in their tracks.
Film recognises frontline Indigenous climate rangers
A documentary is raising awareness of the importance of Indigenous Protected Areas and drawing attention to the rangers who are dedicated to caring for Country.
Game on in the fight to ban platypus ‘death traps’
Queensland is under pressure to fall in with the rest of Australia and move on a notorious yabby trap blamed for also fatally ensnaring the iconic platypus.
Wildlife advocate and primate expert Jane Goodall dies
Jane Goodall is being hailed as a pioneering primate expert and tireless advocate for the environment after her death at the age of 91 while on a speaking tour.
Beloved fairywrens take slow flight towards extinction
Scientists say a common garden bird species is vulnerable to sudden drops in temperature during more frequent extreme weather events and may become extinct.
Pacific unity stressed at keystone regional summit
The host nation of major regional talks has urged fellow Pacific nations not to be "passive bystanders" to intensifying competition among powerful interests.
Koala vaccine hailed but rollout cost too much to bear
A proposal for a breakthrough koala vaccine to be administered in wild populations deserves to be "mocked", a wildlife conservation group says.
Massive koala park plan to give logging the chop
A huge proposed national park to protect koalas has been hailed by conservationists, but the logging industry says jobs will be decimated.
Nature delivers $510b bounty but needs more resources
Australia's environment is delivering much more than the government invests in it and contributes 20 per cent of the nation's economic output, a report finds.
Tourist mecca fighting to turn tide on Mother Nature
The Gold Coast could be pushing sand uphill as it works to restore beaches eroded by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Indigenous knowledge helps uncover hidden ‘koala city’
A hidden koala population of nearly 300 koalas has been uncovered on the fringe of a major city, using Indigenous knowledge combined with western technology.
Aussies embrace once ‘nerdy’ hobby as top bird revealed
Australia's largest citizen science event has revealed a prismatic parrot as the country's most frequent flier and a message to shed birdwatching's stigma.
Human remains found in crocodile after man goes missing
A major search for a missing fisherman has ended after human remains were found inside a crocodile, with forensic testing to confirm the person's identity.
‘Catastrophic’ damage to reefs from ocean heatwaves
A marine heatwave has caused "catastrophic" damage to the Great Barrier Reef but another region is also suffering the impacts of rising ocean temperatures.