Climate Change Threat to Australia's Wildlife - Lethal Heating Editor BDA

Climate change is having severe and wide-ranging impacts on Australia's wildlife, threatening many species and ecosystems across the country.

Recent studies and reports highlight the following key impacts:

Increased extinction risks

• As of 2025, a total of 2,212 ecological communities, plants, and animal species are now threatened with extinction in Australia, largely due to climate change. more
  In 2023 alone, 144 new species were added to the national list of threatened wildlife, the highest number since the list was established in 1999. more

Habitat changes

• Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are altering habitats. more
  For example, many species of eucalyptus trees may be exposed to temperatures and rainfall conditions outside their current tolerance ranges by 2040, severely impacting species like koalas. more

Marine life impacts

• The Great Barrier Reef has experienced four mass bleaching events since 2016, affecting coral ecosystems and the marine life they support. more

Changes in animal behaviour

• Recent studies show that crocodiles in northern Australia are experiencing higher body temperatures due to climate warming, which is altering their behaviour. more

Amphibian threats

• Climate change has contributed to recent extinctions of four frog species in Australia by making amphibian diseases, such as chytridiomycosis, more virulent. more

Extreme weather events

• The increased frequency and severity of bushfires, floods, and droughts are causing direct mortality, displacement, and increased predation risk for many species. more

Specific species impacts

• Green turtles in the northern Great Barrier Reef are experiencing a dramatic shift in population demographics, with 99% of hatchlings being female due to warming temperatures. more
• The Carnaby's black cockatoo is becoming increasingly vulnerable to intense heatwaves. more
  
• Mountain pygmy possums, numbats, and tree kangaroos are facing emerging threats due to climate change. more

Long-term consequences

• It is estimated that up to 20% of Australia's plants and animals could be threatened with extinction due to climate change and other factors. more

Summary

• These impacts underscore the urgent need for climate action and conservation efforts to protect Australia's unique biodiversity.
  The situation is particularly critical for Australia and New Zealand, which have been identified as hotspots of extinction risk in a changing climate. more

Links

• Climate change devastates Australia's wildlife
• 3 billion animals harmed by Australia's fires
• Australia's biodiversity threatened by climate change 
• Unique Aussie wildlife threatened by climate change
• Tracking the climate threat to Australia's unique ecosystems 
• Species on the move around the Australian coastline 
• Impacts of Climate Change - The Australian Museum