Critically Endangered

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Extinction of a species and a people - Critically Endangered

A species is classified as critically endangered when fewer than 250 mature individuals remain in the wild. This designation signals an extremely high risk of extinction soon. To help prevent this, breeding programs are often introduced in zoos and wildlife reserves to increase population numbers. However, many of these species have slow or infrequent reproductive cycles, which makes recovery efforts difficult and time-consuming.
For example, the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat, one of Australia’s rarest mammals, breeds only once every two to three years. After giving birth, the mother carries her young in a pouch for up to ten months, meaning the species reproduces very slowly. In cases like this, even well-managed breeding programs struggle to keep pace with the rate of decline in the wild.
If a population continues to fall despite being listed as critically endangered, it may eventually be declared extinct in the wild — and, if no individuals remain anywhere, completely extinct. As of 2025, there are 86 animal species in Australia currently listed as critically endangered. Without urgent conservation efforts, many of these species may disappear forever, taking with them an irreplaceable piece of Australia’s natural heritage.

1m x 1m

2019