Australia’s rivers and lakes are as diverse as the landscapes they run through. From snow-fed alpine streams to vast inland billabongs, these waters hold some truly iconic native fish such as Murray cod, barramundi, and golden perch. But not every fish in these waters belongs here.

In a groundbreaking conservation effort, Kangaroo Island’s Dudley Peninsula is deploying a suite of innovative tools to locate and remove the remaining feral cats threatening native wildlife. After years of trapping and removing over 1,400 cats, the current phase introduces American bluetick coonhounds trained to track feral cats, alongside thermal-imaging drones, AI-enabled camera networks, sensor-equipped cage and leg-hold traps, and an electrified exclusion fence. This multi-pronged strategy—balancing traditional methods with cutting-edge technology—aims to locate even the most elusive felines for a decisive winter “knockdown” campaign.

The stakes are high: feral cats on Kangaroo Island prey on endangered species like dunnarts, bandicoots, penguins, sea lions, and also spread diseases to sheep. With fewer than 200 cats estimated to remain in the targeted area, the team is focused on suppressing the population beyond the point where it can recover, backed by community support and significant investment. If successful, this will be one of the world’s most ambitious, tech-forward eradication programs on a populated island—offering a powerful model for protecting vulnerable ecosystems elsewhere.

Australia is grappling with a significant challenge posed by introduced animals, particularly wild pigs, which are causing extensive damage to agriculture and the environment. These wild pigs are responsible for over $100 million in agricultural losses annually, not accounting for the broader ecological impacts. They disrupt native ecosystems by uprooting vegetation, contaminating waterways and preying on indigenous wildlife. Moreover, they are vectors for diseases such as leptospirosis and brucellosis, posing risks to livestock, wildlife and human health.

Australia isn’t just home to unique animals and sunburnt landscapes – it also harbours some of the oldest surviving plant species on Earth. Hidden within rainforest canopies, clinging to rocky escarpments, or thriving in temperate bushland, these plants are the living ancestors of prehistoric flora. Many of them evolved before mammals walked the Earth, some even before the rise of dinosaurs.

So, you’re new to the game and wish to hunt, but you’re not entirely certain how to go about it. We’ve all been there. Perhaps you began by firing a few shots from a .22 on a friend’s farm or decided that hunting was a productive idea after seeing the price of meat at your local butcher or supermarket. Or you see rabbits in a paddock every time you drive past and it makes you contemplate the amount of damage they are doing.

Australia is home to some of the deadliest snakes on Earth, renowned for their potent venom and unique adaptations. While these creatures often inspire fear, they are vital for maintaining balance in their ecosystems.

Feral cats have made it into the news again with the federal government committing to ‘declaring war’ on the pests using a $60 million war chest. Their stated aim is to humanely catch and kill as many feral cats as they can because, as we know, they’re extremely accomplished predators of many native Australian animals.

Australian university students and researchers are an important resource in developing and delivering positive conservation and environmental outcomes. Today’s students are tomorrow’s professionals and it’s important that the community supports those who may need a little assistance to fulfil their research goals.

Australia’s reptiles are among the most diverse and fascinating in the world. From the arid deserts to lush rainforests, the continent is home to some of the most unique and specialised reptiles on the planet. We explore five of the most extraordinary reptile species in Australia, showcasing their incredible adaptations and ecological roles.

Australia is home to a magnificent apex predator – the wedge-tailed eagle. Known for its impressive size and extraordinary hunting abilities, this bird plays a crucial role in the Australian ecosystem. Discover more about this mighty giant as we will explore its habitat, physical characteristics, diet, conservation status and cultural significance.

Volunteering is seen as a core part of our community. Just look back to the dreadful events during the 2019-20 bushfire season and more recent flood events to see how much effort volunteers put in when most needed. Lending a hand in the time of need is very much the Australian way.

Feral pests are a real and constant headache for farmers and landholders throughout Australia. In Victoria the problem is being tackled head-on by volunteers of the Conservation and Pest Management (CPM) program, administered by the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (SSAA) Victoria under a Memorandum of Understanding with Parks Victoria.

The Burdekin River is located in far north Queensland. It rises on the northern slopes of Boulder Mountain in the Seaview Range which is part of the Great Dividing Range, west of Ingham. For 886km the Burdekin River meanders towards the coast. Along the way it is joined by a number of tributaries until it discharges into the Coral Sea through the Burdekin River Delta. The river’s catchment area is approximately 130,000 square kilometres and it is Australia’s largest river by (peak) discharge volume.

In 1927 Afghan Shir Mohammed stood in the blistering heat of Marble Bar in Western Australia watching the last of his camel train disappearing towards the Gibson Desert. Shir turned to author Herbert Barker and said: “I say goodbye my ‘cameel’.” The age of the motor car had arrived so camels were soon to be relegated to history and released to survive as best they could.

The Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia Inc (SSAA) and Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (NSW) together pumped more than $100,000 into helping save this country’s most endangered animals through a partnership with Aussie Ark.
Some may question why these groups would put tens of thousands of dollars into Tasmanian devils, among other species, but the shooters group has long played a part in boosting conservation and wildlife management across Australia.

To borrow the lyrics from a Paul Kelly song: “From little things big things grow.” What if the little thing was a dizzy penguin and the big thing is a wildlife refuge?
On the east coast of Tasmania, nestled in the quiet, is a privately owned wildlife refuge called Pademelon Park. Established as a non-profit organisation, the highly competent, altruistic owners provide a sanctuary for injured and orphaned animals as well as a 24/7 wildlife rescue service. As a non-commercial enterprise, the owners are not legally permitted to exhibit the animals in their care for monetary gain, which means the park is entirely funded through donations from local community groups and generous individuals. With no government support, it’s a relentless, financial balancing act, as the emergency rescue, transport, care and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned animals is an expensive business.

Australian farmers are locked into a never-ending crusade against malicious wildlife invaders who represent a nagging problem.
Amid the list of feral threats to farming stocks, wild dogs remain the most frightening due to their brazen behaviour that often takes the form of vicious attacks on livestock.

Imagine a reality TV dating show. But replace the bachelor or bachelorette with a farmer or landowner and replace ‘looking for love’ with ‘looking for environmental volunteers who can help manage pest species problems’. That’s basically what the SSAA Farmer Assist program is.

Protecting Australia’s unique wildlife from feral and introduced pests is a never-ending task and one which becomes more challenging year-on-year as predator numbers continue to rise. But in a remote corner of far western New South Wales the battle is being won albeit with baby steps initially, after a 40km/sq sanctuary for indigenous wildlife was created with major input from scientists from the University of New South Wales.

Michelle Pares has three main passions: “Wildlife, shooting and the outdoors.” At first thought, you may not see a connection to conservation, or even at all. But they are intrinsically intertwined for this new mum from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The same goes for numerous conservation-savvy women and men across the country.

By almost any measure, insects are by far the most numerous animals on the planet. Scientists estimate there could be anywhere between five and 30 million species of insects on Earth, one million of which have been formally named and described. In comparison, there are a paltry 6495 known species of mammals and an estimated 18,000 species of birds.

Great Australian Outdoors (GAO) is proud to have made its annual contribution to the Conservation and Wildlife Research Trust (CWRT).
A percentage of all sales from the highly successful GAO magazine is put towards CWRT’s on the ground environmental projects and bursaries for up-and-coming environmental academics.

Popular in zoos and as racing animals, particularly in Dubai, the camel in Australia is a different prospect entirely with its feral population estimated at anywhere between 1 and 1.5 million and the ability to almost double their numbers in fewer than 10 years.

There was great satisfaction among the wildlife fraternity in the wake of the reintroduction of a previously wiped-out species to northern South Australia.
The red-tailed phascogale, also known as a kenngoor, is a tree-dwelling carnivorous marsupial whose absence from the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park has been a sorry episode for more than a century.

Our society depends on the hard work of insect pollinators to ensure a diverse – and delicious – supply of fruit and vegetables. Much of the food on display at the shops requires some degree of insect pollination in order to produce high-quality fruit. These include favourites such as melons, apples, blueberries, mangoes, avocadoes and even chocolate.

The rusty numbat, the desert bandicoot, the broad-faced potoroo and the crescent nailtail wallaby. What do these native Australian mammals have in common? They have all been wiped out by feral cats.
But the list doesn’t end there. At least 20 other mammal extinctions can be directly contributed to feral cats and the furry killing machines have plenty of other species on their hit list. Feral cats prey on more than 300 different native species. This includes many types of lizards and birds, as well as icons like the greater bilby feeling the pressure of being targeted by feral cats.

Rehabilitation of mined land for safety and conservation purposes is becoming an important part of initial mining approvals. With this strategy comes opportunities for recreational users to access some of Australia’s most amazing landscapes.

The processes of hydraulic fracking for coal seam gas and shale oil drilling are surrounded by controversy worldwide. It is the eternal battle to balance the need to access fossil fuels for energy and the environmental impacts of doing so.

Once upon a time Australians romanticised our horses. We relied on them and they even helped define our nation as evidenced by Banjo Paterson’s The Man from Snowy River which remains marked on Australian minds through our $10 note.

With hundreds of national parks covering about four per cent of our nation, Australia has no end of diverse natural beauty. And it’s no secret that being outdoors has benefits for any individual’s physical and mental health.

There are lots of ways to be an environmentalist and whether big or small there are a lot of ways to play your part for the environment. Sometimes helping the environment can sound intimidating but the great outdoors is closer than you think.

The insatiable appetites of feral pigs mean that some staple species of Australian wildlife can face unwelcome harassment and even have their status endangered.
Unlikely as it seems, wild pigs have targeted sea turtles as food sources. And their voracious feeding habits are indirectly affecting the fate of koalas.

In real life, pigs can be looked on as endearing, pottering around in their comical manner. If a farmers’ market featuring livestock comes to town, the pigs, young and old, can be relied on to steal the show in the eyes of observers. But with the decent comes the deplorable. And taking the lead role as villains are the feral pigs of Australia.

Because of the huge amount of harm inflicted by feral pigs on crops, vegetation and the landscape across Australia, it makes them fair game for hunters. Indeed pig hunting or wild hog hunting is increasingly gaining popularity all over the world.

A tenth of Australia’s mammals have been wiped out forever. They’re gone. And never coming back! Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species Ltd (FAME) is working to prevent further losses. Losing 126 species of native plants and animals since European settlement in 1788 is catastrophic but in 2020 we’re faced with a further 182 endangered species and 201 threatened with extinction. That’s 30 per cent of what remains.

A generation or two ago the humble rabbit was a cheap, accessible source of protein that became part of many family dinners. Rabbits were plentiful across agricultural lands and they were harvested on mass by both commercial and non-commercial hunters.

Among the bigger issues affecting Australian farmers recently have been drought, water shortages and increases in pest animals. Some of these stem from climate factors that we have little control over and others we can tackle more easily.

The Conservation and Wildlife Research Trust is passionate about protecting Australia’s wildlife and natural surroundings. The Trust was set up in 2010 and raises money via its Public Fund to develop and support environmental projects.

The boat grounded with a hiss on the fine white sand and two seamen jumped overboard to secure the vessel before the next wave washed under the keel and slewed the craft sideways. The others in the boat struggled with two squirming, kicking animals, tied down in the stern.

The recent restrictions on movement within Australia has resulted in considerable disruption to the conservation work undertaken by many firearms owners and users, including major Conservation and Wildlife Management programs being put on hiatus

With the celebration of World Bee Day this week, it had us thinking about the importance of our pollinating pals

Australia’s zoos and aquariums will receive almost $95million in federal funding to help them survive the COVID-19 crisis.

Genetic records suggest the dingo could have been in Australia up to 18,000 years ago.