Scientists think the fires caused the birds’ population to decline a further 21 percent, The Guardian reported. “The 20 wildfires really brought this bird to the attention of the Threatened Species Scientific Committee… but it was in decline even prior to the fires, and the fires sort of made it worse,” she told ABC News this week. Legge sat on the Threatened Species Scientific Committee that recommended the bird be considered endangered. “We’re quite sure that the bird has declined possibly by as much as 69 percent.” “We think that they were declining before the fires already as a result of climate change-related factors,” professor Sarah Legge told ABC News in August 2021. Gang-gang cockatoos were also struggling before the bushfires impacted 36 percent of the species’ range. Overall, their numbers had fallen by about half between 20. Most famously, koalas were listed as an endangered species last month after the bushfires precipitated their decline. The bird is just one Australian species whose conservation status had to be reconsidered after the extreme bushfires of 20. They are especially popular in Australia’s capital of Canberra, where they frequent both suburban backyards and nature reserves, The Guardian reported. Their call sounds like a squeaky door hinge. They are gray-green in color, but the males have bright red heads and fluffy crests.

Gang-gang cockatoos are a small cockatoo that lives only in southeastern Australia, according to eBird. “But we do welcome the announcement because what this does, is it provides us with the opportunity to increase focus on the species and it means that we will be able to work with other jurisdictions in terms of understanding what the health of this species is.” “Gang-gangs are a much-loved species in Canberra, and so, obviously, we are saddened by the announcement,” Vassarotti told ABC News.

In another example of how the climate crisis is impacting Australian wildlife, the animal emblem of its capital territory will be listed as a threatened species.Īustralia’s Environment Minister Sussan Ley emailed Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Environment Minister Rebecca Vassarotti to tell her that the gang-gang cockatoo should be reclassified as “ endangered” according to the threatened species list, as Australia’s ABC News reported.

Gang gang cockatoo chibi