Australian Great Barrier Reef rodent: first mammal species wiped out by human-induced climate change

Australian Great Barrier Reef rodent (also known as Bramble Cay melomys) has become the first mammal species driven to extinction by human-induced climate change.
It was revealed after researchers in extensive survey (searches) failed to find a single specimen from its only known habitat on a sandy island in far northern Australia.
The extensive survey in the hope of conserving the species was conducted by Scientists from the University of Queensland, after a study in 2014 found no sign of the species.
Reasons for Extinction

• The main reason for extinction Bramble Cay melomys is anthropogenic climate change.
• The climate change caused in ocean inundation (due to sea rise) of the low-lying cay areas of their habitat over the last decade resulting in dramatic habitat loss.

About Bramble Cay melomys

• Bramble Cay melomys is a small rat-like (rodent) animal species in the family Muridae.
• It is Great Barrier Reef’s only endemic (found nowhere else) mammal species.
• It was mainly found in a small coral cay called Bramble Cay located off the north coast of Queensland in the Torres Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
• Their coral cay habitat was only 340m long and 150m wide and was 3m above sea level.
• It was first discovered in 1845 on the cay by Europeans who shot the “large rats” for sport.
• The last known sighting of this species was in 2009 by a professional fisherman.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2016