Save them before its too late

United Nations' first comprehensive report on biodiversity, issued in May warns that humans need to change their behaviour to protect many of the Earth's iconic species from extinction and to create a sustainable future. Species loss is accelerating to a rate tens or hundreds of times faster than in the past.

Jimboomba Police rescued the koala and her joey from fire in the Gold Coast hinterland. Source: Jimboomba Police

More than half a million species on land "have insufficient habitat for long-term survival" and are likely to go extinct, many within decades. Species such as rhinoceros, elephants, koalas and many others are under threat.

Thousands of koalas have died in the bushfires in Queensland and New South Wales, prompting experts to call for urgent action. 

Another Australian natural icon under threat is the Great Barrier Reef whose outlook has been reassessed and downgraded from being "poor" to "very poor".

But there are success stories too. A special project in Victoria is helping to save one of Australia's most endangered animals - the eastern barred bandicoot. Extinction Rebellion protests have taken centre stage both in Australia and overseas  to raise awareness of the threats facing the natural world.

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