Australia

Plus what Maine did right (and wrong), billionaires in space, and rebranding invasive species.

Australia’s Bellinger River snapping turtle nearly went extinct in just months — before anyone knew it was in trouble. Conservationists are working to make sure it doesn’t disappear forever.

The once-common native guava species has nearly vanished — killed off by an invasive fungus that arrived just 10 years ago. Other plant species may soon follow.

Hundreds of blazes could push threatened species closer to extinction. But the roots of Australia’s wildlife crisis are indicative of a much larger problem.

The Australian icon could lose its fight against climate change, disease, habitat destruction and cars — but not if dedicated conservationists get the tools they need to protect the species.

The Victorian grasslands earless dragon hasn’t been observed for 50 years, but conservationists haven’t given up hope yet.

The Bramble Cay melomys, a tiny island rodent, was wiped out by sea-level rise, according to the government of Australia.

The ancestors of the newly described Heath’s tick date back to the time of the dinosaurs, but climate change and invasive species could soon wipe the tick out.

The extinction of the Christmas Island flea — and the current risk to other parasites — shows a major gap in conservation efforts.

Specialized environmental courts are now operating on every continent except Antarctica. What’s behind the boom?