Conservation Biogeography of Australasian Marsupials

The diverse and distinctive Australasian marsupial fauna has experienced considerable loss over the last 200 years. Seventeen of the 176 Australian marsupial species have become extinct in this period (~10%), far higher than the global average (1.4%). Many extinct Australian marsupials were formerly abundant and widespread. About 40% of Australian marsupials are now threatened. The pattern of decline in Australian marsupials is broadly similar to that of Australia’s native rodents- invasive mammalian predators and land use that facilitates them are the major problems.

Knowledge of the marsupial faunas of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia is relatively poor. Both regions have high endemism. There are 96 species of marsupials on the main island of New Guinea and surrounding small islands, and 15 species in Wallacea (the islands of Indonesia and East Timor east of Wallace’s line) including five shared with New Guinea. Although none are listed as Extinct, two Critically Endangered marsupials are flagged “possibly extinct.” Most threatened New Guinean and Wallacean species follow the globally typical pattern of high vulnerability in island endemics and small-range mammals with specialist habitats. The major threats to marsupials of New Guinea and Indonesia are habitat loss, hunting, and low levels of awareness and investment in conservation and research. Many Australasian marsupial species – particularly mountain-top endemics are increasingly threatened by climate change.