The last native mammal on Christmas Island is facing endangerment, prompting experts to call for heightened action to protect it.
What's happening?
According to the Guardian, the flying fox on this Australian island is a tiny, "fluffy" bat whose numbers have significantly dwindled since the 1980s.
"We know that there are a lot fewer Christmas Island flying foxes than there were previously," said flying fox expert Professor Justin Welbergen, per the Guardian.
Welbergen referenced a now-extinct species in making his point, adding, "It's really a time for action because we do not want to repeat the mistake that was made with the Christmas Island pipistrelle — that was effectively monitored to extinction."
Why is the loss of the flying fox concerning?
The loss of any species poses a threat to biodiversity and thus the entire ecosystem. As every native organism has its place in the food chain, the loss of any can result in unchecked predators, the spread of disease, and the loss of agriculture.
Christmas Island is no stranger to biodiversity loss. The Lab of Animal Ecology reports the aforementioned pipistrelle bat, as well as the Christmas Island shrew, have gone extinct, with bird and reptile populations also declining.
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What's being done about dwindling flying fox populations?
Biodiversity Council chief executive James Trezise spoke about the fragile nature of the Christmas Island flying fox population.
"If a severe cyclone went through that one site and felled a whole lot of its important trees, and blew the bats off their roosts into the ocean, it could be gone in a second," he said, according to the Guardian.
With experts pushing for increased protection of these creatures, the hope is that outdated conservation methods can be reassessed for the sake of the last remaining native mammal on Christmas Island.
The success of other conservation efforts demonstrates the vital importance of environmental action. To do your part in protecting Earth and its native species, you can educate yourself on critical climate issues and take local action whenever possible.
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