Melomys rubicola – the first victim of global warming

Climate change caused by human activity led to the first extinction of an Australian mammal species. The rodent with the Latin name Melomys rubicola was the only mammal to live near a coral reef. He was last seen in 2009, according to the “The Guardian”.

Melomys rubicola inhabited areas póThe mammal was found on Australia’s north coast near the Torres Strait. It was a species endemic to this region. syndromeóAustralian scientistsów from the University of Queensland in 2014 set more than 150 traps there and did not find a single representative of the species.

According to the conclusionóresearchers, the cause of the extinction of this species of rodent is global warming. The process in the Torres Strait region is more intense than in other parts of the globe. The increase in the level of theód led to the almost complete reduction of the natural habitat of these mammalsów.

However, the researchers do not lose hope. The ancestors of a now extinct species came to Australia from New Guinea. Perhaps it is a chance for the revival of the species.