Scientists make unexpected discovery about rare creature threatened by wildfires: 'Fantastic to see'

The population of endangered greater gliders is rising. This is "a really great indicator," not only for this endangered species but for the area's whole ecosystem, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's The World Today.

Three species of these fluffy marsupials are found in Australia's New South Wales southern tablelands bush. Recently, these animals have been threatened by bushfires, land clearing, and logging. In the past 20 years, their population has declined by around 80%.

Bushfires, especially frequent and sizable ones like in the Black Summer of 2019-20, destroy the habitats of the greater gliders. The fires take away the tree hollows they live in and the vegetation they eat.

As Dr. Kita Ashman told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the forests that the gliders live in are home to over 800 threatened species. By protecting the greater gliders, conservationists are benefitting hundreds of species that are threatened by rising temperatures and human industrialization.

Although areas hit hardest by the fire are not hospitable to the gliders, populations in healthy habitats were up 45% compared to before the drought and fires of 2019.

The resurgence of the greater glider population is one hopeful story among many recent conservation efforts. Scientists in Mexico recently rediscovered a type of rabbit thought to be extinct for 120 years.

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Conservation experts also successfully reintroduced pygmy pigs in India. To help sea turtles, scientists have developed a floating rehabilitation center to help turtles recover in an enclosed space within their natural habitat.

For the sake of the greater gliders and other species that live in the bush, we need to greatly reduce the frequency and severity of bushfires.

"It's been fantastic to see greater gliders bounce back to well above pre-fire, pre-drought levels in the best and most lightly burnt habitat," Dr. Peter Smith told World Wildlife Fund Australia.

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