Efforts to save the greater bilby in AustraliaCEFR A2
21 Oct 2024
Adapted from Kevin Rennie, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Enguerrand Photography, Unsplash
The greater bilby is an Australian mammal now threatened with extinction. The IUCN Red List classifies it as vulnerable. Before European settlement bilbies lived across about 80 percent of Australia. Today their population is estimated at about 9,000 mature animals. It looks like a mouse but is the size of a rabbit and has large ears.
Several factors reduced bilby numbers. Rabbits introduced by Europeans, and wild cats and foxes, became invasive and harmed bilbies. Habitat loss from land clearing and grazing by cattle and sheep further reduced their areas. Conservation groups run captive breeding, predator-free fenced areas and reintroductions. The Save the Bilby Fund supports breeding projects and awareness campaigns. Some centres have nocturnal houses where visitors can see bilbies, and chocolate bilbies are sold at Easter.
Difficult words
- vulnerable — At risk of harm or loss
- extinction — When a species completely dies out
- invasive — Not native and causing harm to local animals
- habitat — Natural environment where an animal or plant lives
- captive breeding — Breeding animals under human care, not wild
- reintroduction — Returning a species to areas it used to livereintroductions
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Which of the conservation actions in the article would you support? Why?
- Would you buy a chocolate bilby at Easter to help conservation? Why or why not?
- Have you ever visited a nocturnal house or animal centre? Describe your visit.
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