NEWS 5 June 2022 |

Greater Gliders have just been moved from vulnerable to endangered on the federal government’s list of threatened species. In practical terms this means they are now one step closer to extinction.

Coming only six years after being listed as vulnerable, this change highlights the rapid (but preventable) decline of this unique creature.

Protecting the habitat of our Greater Gliders in Wombat Forest is now, more than ever, a matter of urgency.

Their fluffy ears and bushy tails were once a common sight in treetops across Victoria and other parts of Australia. But in recent years Greater Glider populations have dramatically declined, as old growth forests and tree hollows are logged, lost in bushfires and important habitat cleared.

It is now imperative our leaders act to legislate the promised new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park.

CALL ON YOUR LEADERS TO PROTECT GREATER GLIDER HABITAT

For years we’ve worked to protect the homes of Victoria’s western population of Greater Gliders. We only just revealed a surprising number of these endangered critters in the proposed Wombat-Lerderderg National Park during one of our forest surveys.

But once again, our leaders are saying all the right things while doing all the wrong things.

The Andrews Government committed to protecting the Wombat Forest in a national park a year ago, but then expanded forestry and salvage logging in areas with Greater Glider sightings.

The acknowledgement by Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek that Greater Gliders are at serious risk of extinction is important. It also demands further action from the state government.

Extinction isn’t inevitable. It’s the consequence of poor decisions by the people we’ve elected and entrusted to look after nature. Better decisions can be made, if we demand them.

As part of our community of people who stick up for creatures and places that don’t have a voice, we’ve achieved great things together.

Let’s keep going until the promised parks are legislated and this important Greater Glider habitat is free from the threat of logging forever.

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