australia

The grey-headed and spectacled species of mainland flying fox — common in Australia, also known as “fruit bats” — have historically experienced such low numbers that they faced the possibility of extinction, reported The Conversation. But after a decade-long survey by the National Flying-fox Monitoring Program (NFFMP) — coordinated by CSIRO, along with state and […]

In the past eight years, the Great Barrier Reef — the largest coral reef in the world, stretching 1,429 miles — has experienced five mass bleaching events, tied by scientists to climate change. Most recently, corals around six islands in Turtle Group National Park, located about 6.2 miles off Australia’s Queensland Coast, have seen extensive […]

More than 2,000 residents of Australia’s Victoria state were under evacuation orders on Thursday due to an out of control bushfire. Residents of Beaufort, Raglan and surrounding areas were encouraged by the state emergency service to leave and head east toward Melbourne while it was safe to do so, reported Reuters. “Leaving immediately is the […]

Have you ever wondered how much biodiversity is in your own backyard? Three housemates in Brisbane, Australia, decided to challenge each other to find out. Not only did they identify 1,150 unique plant, fungi and animal species in their suburban backyard, they wrote an academic research paper detailing the perhaps surprisingly extensive biodiversity to be […]

A new study led by researchers from Griffith University in Australia contributes to the growing research on how global warming and pollution are impacting reproduction for endangered sea turtles. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, found that pollution exposure to heavy metals, like cadmium and antimony, as well as organic contaminants […]

Groundwater is carrying a significant portion of the pollutants coming into the Great Barrier Reef, a recent study has found. According to the study, previously unquantified nitrogen and phosphorus have been discharging into and impacting the reef system, and researchers have now found that groundwater is responsible for about one-third of new nitrogen and two-thirds […]

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef extends 1,429 miles over an approximate area of 133,000 square miles and is the largest coral reef system in the world. The magnificent reef is home to thousands of marine species, but for years has been under threat from pollution and climate change. The warming ocean has caused coral bleaching, and […]

Nearly 100 pilot whales became stranded on Cheynes Beach in Western Australia on Tuesday. Most of the pod, 52 whales, died overnight, and the rest have been euthanized, according to officials, as rescue efforts over two days have failed. The pilot whales were first seen swimming in the area on Tuesday morning, but they covered […]