Story perspectives

Australia’s safe havens fail non-mammal species, study finds

8/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers say Australia's safe havens fail to protect non-mammal species.
Only the desert skink and western swamp tortoise live in existing havens.
Existing havens cannot block rats, chytrid fungus or invasive fish, leaving many species vulnerable.
Climate models rank the Victorian Alps, Snowy Mountains and Tasmania’s Central Highlands among the top 1% of sites, prompting designs that add fencing, netting or wetlands protecting golden bell frog to be reviewed.

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Story summary

Researchers say Australia's safe havens fail to protect non-mammal species.
Only the desert skink and western swamp tortoise live in existing havens.
Existing havens cannot block rats, chytrid fungus or invasive fish, leaving many species vulnerable.
Climate models rank the Victorian Alps, Snowy Mountains and Tasmania’s Central Highlands among the top 1% of sites, prompting designs that add fencing, netting or wetlands protecting golden bell frog to be reviewed.