Extinct

Australia’s rich natural history boasts some of the most interesting animals on the planet, a standout of which is Diprotodon - the largest ever known marsupial. University of Queensland Associate Professor Gilbert Price joins Extinct to discuss this sizeable species. Produced on Turrbal land.

Across 400 million years of Earth’s ever-changing landscape, one group of creatures has gracefully weathered the shifts – the lungfish. Flinders University evolutionary biologist and paleontologist Dr Alice Clement joins Extinct to discuss this remarkable fish. Produced on Turrbal land. Visit the Virtual Australian Museum of Palaeontology (VAMP): https://sites.flinders.edu.au/vamp/

Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour hosts one of Australia’s most unique species that sadly teeters on the brink of extinction. University of Tasmania researcher Dr. David Moreno joins Extinct to discuss the endangered Maugean Skate and why its population has rapidly declined in recent years. Produced on Turrbal land.

Millions of fish in the Murray-Darling Basin have died in recent years, sparking concerns about the river system’s health and the need for sustainable water management and conservation practices. River ecologist and conservation biologist Professor Richard Kingsford joins Extinct to discuss the contributing factors and implications of these devastating fish kills for this crucial water source. Produced on Turrbal land.

In late 2015 and early 2016, millions of mangrove trees in northern Australia suddenly died. This dieback event had significant implications for the health of the country’s coastal ecosystems that we’re still feeling today. Mangrove ecologist Norman Duke joins Extinct to discuss what led to so many mangrove trees dying, and what this means for our future. Produced on Turrbal land.

Feral cat populations have boomed in Australia since their introduction into the country by colonisers. But how has this impacted native species? Ecologist Sarah Legge joins Extinct to talk about the decline of wildlife populations due to introduced predators, and what is being done to manage this problem and avoid further extinction.

The Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) famously went extinct after the last known individual died in 1936 - but what if we brought it back? Epigeneticist Professor Andrew Pask joins Extinct to talk about de-extinction and why reviving this Australian icon is crucial.