Threats to Wildlife
Tasmania is home to some of the most unique and vulnerable wildlife on the planet, but the pressures they face are increasing. From shrinking habitats and deadly road trauma to fast-spreading diseases and other threats, the challenges to survival are many, and growing.
Understanding these threats is the first step toward meaningful action. Every year, countless native animals are affected: joeys left orphaned after being hit by a car, animals suffering from rodenticide poisoning, and ecosystems pushed to the brink as habitats are lost or divided.
This section explores the five most pressing threats to Tasmania’s native animals, each with its own page dedicated to explaining the issue, sharing the latest research, and offering ways we can all help.
Wildlife Injured on Our Roads
Every hour, native animals are hit by vehicles on Tasmanian roads. Learn why road trauma is so widespread, what species are most affected, and how virtual fences, safe driving, and local advocacy can reduce collisions.
Explore → /road-trauma
Habitat Loss & Fragmentation
As forests are cleared, farmland expands, and development sprawls, Tasmania’s wild places are being sliced into isolated patches. Discover how habitat fragmentation disrupts animal movement, endangers genetic diversity, and fuels species decline.
Explore → /habitat-loss-fragmentation
Disease & Biosecurity
Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) is just one example of the biosecurity threats facing native species. This page will explore the diseases affecting wildlife in Tasmania, what causes their spread, and how strict biosecurity helps.
Explore → /disease-biosecurity
Poisoning & Rodenticides
Poisons don’t just affect pests, they ripple through the ecosystem. Native owls, quolls, and even devils have been found with rodenticides in their systems. This page will unpack how common household poisons can devastate native species and what alternatives exist.
Explore → /poisoning-rodenticides
Human Disturbance & Climate Change
Noise, light, tourism, and rising temperatures all take a toll on Tasmania’s wildlife. From altered breeding patterns to habitat shifts, this page will look at how everyday human activity and global climate shifts are reshaping the survival prospects of native species.
Explore → /human-climate-impact