National Threatened Species Day

September 7 is National Threatened Species Day in Australia. The date commemorates the death of the last known thylacine (or Tasmanian tiger, Thylacinus cynocephalus) in 1936.

Thylacines are believed to have been driven to extinction predominantly by hunting, with habitat destruction and disease also believed to have played a role. Since 1936, other species have followed the Tassie tiger down the extinction path.

National Threatened Species Day encourages us to reflect on this, and think about how to protect our unique Australian fauna and flora into the future.