Up to 45 rare species of wallaby, bandicoot and other Australian
animals could become extinct within 20 years unless urgent
action is taken to control introduced predators and other
threats, scientists warned Wednesday. Dozens of mammals, birds,
lizards and other vertebrates in the remote northwestern
Kimberley region are at risk from hunting by feral cats and from
destruction of their native habitat by wild donkeys, goats and
fires, a study of the conservation needs of the area shows.
"We're in the midst of a massive extinction event in Australia
and the north has really been the last stronghold for many
species of birds and mammals and reptiles," said Tara Martin, a
co-author of the report by the government-funded Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. Nearly 30
percent of the endangered species identified in the study are
unique to the Kimberley region, while others, like the golden
bandicoot and golden-backed tree rat, have found the area to be
their last refuge after being pushed i