Endangered animals on new Australean stamps

Date of Issue : 20 September 2016

seven special stamps by Australia Post representing endangered animals that are part of current zoo and/or other conservation programs in Australia. These animals are at risk of extinction and are classified as either Endangered or Critically Endangered according to Australian and international measures. Three animals are exotic and four are native. The critically endangered animals are depicted here individually.

The large definitive stamp, representing the Southern Corroboree Frog Pseudophryne corroboree, commemorates the centenary of Taronga Zoo in NSW, which has breeding programs for this rare frog. At just 2.5–3cm in length, this small, brightly coloured amphibian is one of the world’s rarest frogs.

The carnivorous Snow Leopard Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia is a large cat native to mountain ranges of central and south Asia at altitudes of 3,000 to 4,500 metres. These cats are rarely seen because they inhabit harsh terrain with an extreme climate and are distributed across a range of over two million square kilometres across 12 countries.

The Asian Elephant Elephas maximus used to roam over most of Asia, but is now restricted to just 15 per cent of its original range. The population has declined by at least 50 per cent over the last 60–75 years. The most recent estimate of the global population is 41,430.

The Western Lowland Gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla is a large primate native to the rainforests of central Africa, specifically in lowland forest and swamp forest from sea level to about 1,600 metres. Gorillas are mainly herbivorous. Their staple foods are pith, shoots and leaves. They also eat many species of fruit.

The short-necked freshwater Western Swamp Tortoise Pseudemydura umbrina is found only in two locations in a small area of the Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia. It is Australia’s most endangered reptile and measures just 11 to 13cm from nose to tail.

One of the world’s rarest and most endangered species, the Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster, is on the brink of extinction. It is listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act and on the IUCN Red List.

The Northern Quoll Dasyurus hallucatus is a small, omnivorous marsupial that once occurred across extensive areas of northern Australia. It has now contracted to only isolated populations.