A new study estimates that more than 9000 insects and other native invertebrates have become extinct in Australia since European arrival in 1788 and between 1–3 additional species become extinct every week.
The study was led by Professor John Woinarski, from Charles Darwin University, who suggests the number of species to have gone extinct in Australia since European arrival is likely much higher than the research found.
“We found that 9,111 species are likely to have become extinct in those 236 years. Allowing for uncertainties and knowledge gaps, our analysis indicates that the true number is at least 1500 species and possibly up to 60,000 extinctions,” says Professor Woinarski, who is also a Biodiversity Council member.
Read more at the University of Adelaide website.