Hugh Possingham

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Rodd’s star hair (Astrotricha roddii) an Endangered NSW shrub. Gavin Phillips/NSW DPIE, Saving Our Species

Australia‑first research reveals staggering loss of threatened plants over 20 years

Ayesha Tulloch, University of Sydney; Elisa Bayraktarov, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; Jaana Dielenberg, Charles Darwin University; Jennifer Silcock, The University of Queensland; Micha V Jackson, The University of Queensland, and Nathalie Butt, The University of Queensland

Australia’s plants help make our landscapes unique. But many are in grave danger of extinction, and in many cases, the problem is getting worse.
At least 250 threatened species have had their habitat hit by fires. Gena Dray

Six million hectares of threatened species habitat up in smoke

Michelle Ward, The University of Queensland; Aaron Greenville, University of Sydney; April Reside, The University of Queensland; Ayesha Tulloch, University of Sydney; Brooke Williams, The University of Queensland; Emily Massingham, The University of Queensland; Helen Mayfield, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Jim Radford, La Trobe University, and Laura Sonter, The University of Queensland

Approximately 70 nationally threatened species have had at least 50% of their range burnt, while nearly 160 threatened species have had more than 20% burnt.
Koalas are among the threatened native species worst affected by habitat loss. Taronga Zoo

Environment laws have failed to tackle the extinction emergency. Here’s the proof

Michelle Ward, The University of Queensland; April Reside, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Jeremy Simmonds, The University of Queensland; Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland, and Martin Taylor, The University of Queensland

A staggering 7.7 million hectares of critical habitat has been destroyed since environment laws were enacted - and 93% was not referred to the federal government for assessment.
Marine parks are good for fish - especially if they’re in the right areas. Epstock/Shutterstock

More fish, more fishing: why strategic marine park placement is a win‑win

Kerstin Jantke, University of Hamburg; Alienor Chauvenet, Griffith University; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Allan, The University of Queensland; James Watson, The University of Queensland, and Kendall Jones, The University of Queensland

With strategic planning, the marine protected area network could be a third smaller, cost half as much, and still meet the international target of protecting 10% of every ecosystem.
Success with conservation of Kangaroo Island’s Glossy Black-Cockatoos can now be compared with other bird conservation efforts around the country. Ian Sanderson/Flickr

For the first time we’ve looked at every threatened bird in Australia side‑by‑side

Stephen Garnett, Charles Darwin University; Alienor Chauvenet, Griffith University; April Reside, The University of Queensland; Brendan Wintle, The University of Melbourne; David Lindenmayer, Australian National University; David M Watson, Charles Sturt University; Elisa Bayraktarov, The University of Queensland; Hayley Geyle, Charles Darwin University; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; Ian Leiper, Charles Darwin University; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Jim Radford, La Trobe University; John Woinarski, Charles Darwin University; Les Christidis, Southern Cross University; Martine Maron, The University of Queensland; Molly K Grace, University of Oxford; Paul McDonald, University of New England, and Sarah Legge, Australian National University

New research has shown how to measure conservation progress for Australia’s 238 endangered bird species
Predatory fish are among the most vulnerable species to human pressures. Rich Carey/Shutterstock

New map shows that only 13% of the oceans are still truly wild

Kendall Jones, The University of Queensland; Alan Friedlander, University of Hawaii; Benjamin Halpern, University of California, Santa Barbara; Caitlin Kuempel, The University of Queensland; Carissa Klein, The University of Queensland; Hedley Grantham, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Nicole Shumway, and Oscar Venter, University of Northern British Columbia

The world has some 500 million square kilometres of ocean. But just 55 million square kilometres remain untouched by intensive human activities such as fishing.
The Victorian mountain ash forest has been severely affected by fires and logging. To determine the actual health of the forest, we need to look at the quality, not just the quantity of what remains. Graeme/flickr

Why we are measuring the health of Australian vegetation poorly

Ayesha Tulloch, University of Sydney; David Lindenmayer, Australian National University, and Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland

In the aftermath of fires or logging, conservation needs to focus on recovering the health of the remaining vegetation, not just the size of the forest or woodland.
The world’s biggest burn of illegal ivory. Daniel Stiles

Ivory up in flames, but who really noticed? How messages on elephant poaching might be missed

Matthew H. Holden, The University of Queensland; Alexander Richard Braczkowski, The University of Queensland; Christopher J. O'Bryan, The University of Queensland; Duan Biggs, Griffith University; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Allan, The University of Queensland, and James Watson, The University of Queensland

The destruction of a massive haul of illegal ivory was supposed to send a message to poachers and those who trade in the tusks. Did they notice, or can the ivory be used to help elephant conservation?
The critically endangered Leadbeater’s Possum lives within a single federal electorate. Their local MP has a responsibility to be their voice. Zoos Victoria

Just ten MPs represent more than 600 threatened species in their electorates

James Watson, The University of Queensland; April Reside, The University of Queensland; Brooke Williams, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; Martine Maron, The University of Queensland; Michelle Ward, The University of Queensland; Richard Fuller, The University of Queensland; Scott Consaul Atkinson, The University of Queensland, and Stephen Kearney, The University of Queensland

Just a handful of federal members of parliament represent hundreds of Australia’s threatened species.
Cartier Island marine reserve is part of a network that covers one-third of Australian waters. Australian Institute of Marine Science

Oil, gas and marine parks really can coexist in our oceans – here’s how

Cordelia Moore, Curtin University; Ben Radford, Australian Institute of Marine Science; Clay Bryce; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; Oliver Berry, CSIRO, and Romola Stewart

Marine parks need to cover large swathes of ocean, but they also need to cover the right areas if they are to deliver the best conservation. New research off Australia’s northwest suggests how.
Despite ongoing conflict in the DRC, the number of endangered mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park has increased. Shutterstock

Conservation efforts can’t afford to shy away from high‑risk conflict zones

Edd Hammill, Utah State University; Ayesha Tulloch, Australian National University; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; Kerrie Wilson, The University of Queensland, and Niels Strange, University of Copenhagen

For the survival of iconic species in Africa, it is crucial that conservation efforts do not ignore conflict zones.
Land clearing rates in Queensland tripled since 2010. Martin Taylor

Queensland land clearing is undermining Australia’s environmental progress

Martine Maron, The University of Queensland; Bill Laurance, James Cook University; Bob Pressey, James Cook University; Carla P. Catterall, Griffith University; Clive McAlpine, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland; Kerrie Wilson, The University of Queensland, and Marc Hockings, The University of Queensland

Land clearing in Queensland has tripled in the past five years.
The yellow-footed rock wallaby is just one of the rare species found in the Lake Eyre Basin. Angus Emmott

Protecting Australia’s Lake Eyre basin means getting our priorities right

Jennifer Firn, Queensland University of Technology; Andrew Reeson, CSIRO; Belinda Walters, CSIRO; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; Jean-Baptiste Pichancourt, CSIRO; Josie Carwardine, CSIRO; Professor Iadine Chadès, CSIRO; Ramona Maggini, The University of Queensland; Rocio Ponce-Reyes, CSIRO; Sam Nicol, CSIRO, and Tara Martin, CSIRO

Taking into account the rivers that drain into it and where they come from, the Lake Eyre Basin is one of largest inland draining systems in the world, the size of Germany, France and Italy combined.
While we don’t know much about oceans off north west Australia, we know they’re important. Australian Institute of Marine Science

Marine reserves: finding the balance with oil and gas

Cordelia Moore, The University of Western Australia; Euan Harvey, Curtin University, and Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland

How do we get the most out of our marine reserves? The government is in the process of reviewing Australia’s network of marine protected areas. The review focuses on zones that exclude recreational fishers…
Going fishing? 96% of Australia’s coastline is still open to recreational fishers. Flickr/deswalsh

Paper parks or a world‑class system of ocean protection?

Jessica Meeuwig, The University of Western Australia; David Booth, University of Technology Sydney, and Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland

The federal government’s recent announcement “reproclaiming” the new Commonwealth Marine Reserves overturns previous plans to protect Australia’s marine biodiversity, and review the management of Australia’s…
New Zealand’s ancient tuatara might need a helping hand to cope with climate change. Flickr/Sheep"R"Us

Should we move species threatened by climate change?

Tracy Rout, The University of Melbourne; Doug Armstrong, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Eve McDonald-Madden, CSIRO; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; Nicola Mitchell, The University of Western Australia, and Tara Martin, CSIRO

Climate change is one of the greatest threats the world’s animals and plants are facing. In fact the world is facing an extinction crisis, which should concern all of us. The major problem with climate…
Our threatened species, like this young Leadbeater’s Possum, need some attention. Flickr/Greens MPs

Let’s put threatened species on the election agenda

Stephen Garnett, Charles Darwin University; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland, and John Woinarski, Charles Darwin University

The Coalition will instate a Commissioner for Threatened Species should it form government, according to shadow environment minister Greg Hunt. The minister says that, while management plans for threatened…

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