Australian species on endangered list reaches 742 Australian species

The downy mouse and five other Australian species have been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.

Heath rat (Pseudomys shortridgei), threatened species in WA; also occurs in western Victoria. South of Ravensthorpe, Western Australia. (Photo by Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Credit: Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty

There are 742 endangered Australian plants and animals on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of threatened species.

This represents an additional six species in the past year.

Meanwhile, two reports released on Monday at a UN biodiversity summit in Colombia revealed limited progress in global biodiversity protection, with some species still in sharp decline.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is reviewing a range of efforts dating back to 2020, when 196 countries committed to protecting 30 per cent of the planet by 2030.

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