Stambaugh, A. (2019, February 20). Australian mammal becomes first to go extinct due to

climate change. Retrieved February 24, 2019, from https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/20/australia/mammal-climate-change-extinction-intl-trnd/index.html

 

The Bramble Cay Melomy, a species of small rat from Australia, was recently declared extinct by the Australian government, making its status official. The rat species lived on a coral island about 12 acres in size, located in the Torres Strait (North of Queensland). Because of rising global temperatures, followed by sea level rise, this rat population experienced a “dramatic” loss of habitat. In the 70s, hundreds of rats covered the island, but one has not been seen in over ten years. Some, in light of the announcement, criticized the Australian government for not designating sufficient resources to protecting endangered species. This article also references a study by the University of Connecticut, which stated that near 8% of the world’s species could be lost to further climate change.

 

The Australian government, in this situation, was not to blame. At least, not any more to blame than any other coal and gas-burning country. The Bramble Cay Melomy had lost its habitat, and any conservation efforts at the site of the coral island would have been futile. Rising sea levels and other aspects of climate change will damage many, many populations, and can only be helped by halting the use of fossil fuels. Human actions are responsible for a large proportion of extinctions, whether that be over-hunting, destroying habitats, or contributing to climate change. While stopping climate change may seem like a goal for the future, the consequences are already being felt, and will only increase in severity.