At a glance
- IUCN category
- EX · Extinct
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Trend unknown
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Bramble Cay melomys was a small rodent that lived only on one tiny, low-lying island in the Torres Strait. It is assessed as Extinct.
It is widely described as the first mammal driven to extinction largely by human-caused climate change.
Range & habitat
Formerly Bramble Cay, a tiny island in the Torres Strait between Australia and New Guinea.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Sea-level rise and storm surges flooding its low island
- Loss of vegetation
- An extremely tiny range
Why it matters
A small rodent lost as rising seas repeatedly flooded its sliver of an island, the Bramble Cay melomys is widely cited as the first mammal extinction attributed mainly to climate change.
Sources
Sources for Bramble Cay Melomys
- IUCN Red List — look up Bramble Cay Melomys (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Bramble Cay melomys significant?
It is widely described as the first mammal driven to extinction largely by human-caused climate change, after rising seas and storm surges repeatedly flooded its tiny, low island and destroyed its food and shelter.
Where did it live?
Only on Bramble Cay, a small, very low-lying coral cay in the Torres Strait — a single island just a few metres above sea level, which left the species acutely exposed. It is assessed as Extinct.
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