This is the First Mammal Species to Go Extinct Due to Man-made Climate Change
Aussie Melomy Has Been Declared Extinct But It's Not Too Late For Its Relatives
This recent human-caused climate change is cursing the Earth, because today, the only endemic mammal species in the Great Barrier Reef has succumbed into extinction. The species called Bramble Cay melomys are rodents that live on an island in the eastern Torres Strait. They are said to have been completely wipe out from their habitat.
This is the first recorded extinction of a mammal due to man-made climate change. Despite environmentalists' concern, the melomys will not be the last to die off if humans keep on with their destructive ways.
What are Bamble Cray Melomys?
More commonly called the mosaic-tailed rat, the species are known to live on Bramble Cay -- a small island just 340-meter long and 150-meter wide off the north coast of Queensland, Australia. It is the most isolated and restricted range of any mammal known due to the size of its habitat.
The Bramble Cay melomys were first seen by Europeans on the island in the mid 1800s and several hundred was confirmed to still be living in the area in 1978. However, due to rising sea levels, the island's land size has shrunk from 9.8 acres to 6.2 acres by 1998, which means that about 97 percent of the vegetation and habitat of the melomys decreased significanly.
Expect More Extinct Species
Senior scientist for climate change biologist Lee Hannah suggested that one in five species may be threatened from climate change.
"The key factor responsible for the extirpation of this population was almost certainly ocean inundation of the low-lying cay," Ian Gynther of Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection said. "Its is very likely on multiple occasions, during the last decade, causing dramatic habitat loss and perhaps also direct mortality of individuals."
It's Not Too Late for Aussie Melomy's Cousins
The melomys had been in Australia's endangered species list since 1992. In 2008, reports noted that the Australian Government introduced a recovery plan. However, a survey by researchers revealed that conservation efforts could not keep up -- climate change has affected the Great Barrier Reef too much and it was too late for Bramble Cay's melomys species.
However, there is still hope for other melomys species. Researchers believe that other melomys that are closely related to the Bramble Cay rodents, who thrives in Papua New Guinea's Fly River Delta, may still be alive.