Why are Australia’s native animals going extinct?

Available for over a year

Australia is home to some of the world's most distinctive wildlife — nearly 90% of its mammals exist nowhere else on Earth. But Australia is also where a mammal extinction is happening at an alarming pace. Species are disappearing at a rate of roughly four every decade, driven by feral predators, habitat destruction, and a changing climate. Feral cats alone kill an estimated three billion native animals and insects every year. But it’s not all bleak. In Western Australia, conservationists have spent decades bringing the numbat, a small, striped marsupial found only in Australia, back from the brink, and it's just been reclassified as no longer endangered. The bigger question is whether that success story can be repeated elsewhere, especially when government spending on conservation lags far behind what experts say is needed. On this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi discusses the extinction crisis with BBC Senior Journalist Tiffanie Turnbull and Professor Euan Ritchie, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at Deakin University. Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends. Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people. Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter. Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, just search Asia Specific. Get in touch: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk