What is the biggest threat to the Daintree Rainforest?

The Daintree is the oldest rainforest on the planet, it is home to a large majority of the country’s wildlife population. But there are many threats to the Daintree, which may eventually destroy it entirely.

The Daintree Rainforest boasts an incredible region of biodiversity being one of the best in the world. It is a vital landscape for the Australian ecosystem, with many of the habitats only found in this one region.

However, over the years, there are several factors have caused severe harm to this natural wonder. This includes urban development, climate change, and more that have impacted the rainforest.

Climate change is the Daintree’s biggest threat

By far the biggest threat to the Daintree Rainforest is climate change! As the temperatures rise worldwide, the increase in natural disasters and more all affect the Daintree’s survival.
Over the years, many of the rare animals and plants that were found within the forest have become extinct due to the harsh conditions of today’s world. So already, we are seeing how it is damaging the Daintree Rainforest.

Unfortunately, climate change isn’t the only threat to this beautiful tropical rainforest.

• Fragmentation
The habitat of the Daintree Rainforest has gone through years of fragmentation caused by urban development. This stops animals and plants from moving about. With the plants and animals not able to move, it limits the breeding numbers in each rainforest section. If the breeding stops, eventually we will extinct these species from the Daintree.

A lot of the time, animals will try to make their way to other sections of the rainforest by going over roads and fields. Which can lead to many being hit by cars or attacked by the local dogs. Overall, this leads to the Daintree’s species becoming more vulnerable to extinction.

• Introduced species of flora and fauna
Introduced species may not seem like an issue, but it has caused species of wildlife to become endangered or extinct. Due to the rainforest’s old age and remote region, many of the animals and plants living within are not equipped to face invading factors.

An increased number of weed species in the Daintree has occurred in the last decade, which kills out and disrupts the natural ecosystems. Foreign animals as well have caused harm, causing many antique and rare species to be wiped out altogether.

The Daintree has over 70 rare, threatened, and endangered species of plants including the mangrove orchid, trailing sundew, and yellow siris. There are also over 20 animal species that are rare, threatened, and endangered like the southern cassowary, Bennett’s tree kangaroo, and the tapping green eyed frog. It’s important to try to keep these plant and animal species alive before we lose them forever.

• Humans
Of course, humans are a major threat to the Daintree of how we live every day. A major threat that humans pose including fishing, hunting, and pollution that has caused impacts on the rainforest. Fishing and hunting can cause a decline in certain animals, making them soon to be an endangered species.

Pollution can have many impacts on the rainforest, including the water which can affect plants that live off it. Animals that live in the creeks and rivers will be impacted and the ones who come by for a drink of water too.

Saving the Daintree Rainforest

Thankfully there are ways we can slow down these threats to the Daintree. There are organisations and groups who help protect the Daintree and plant trees through donations. These organisations also monitor wildlife to ensure they don’t become endangered.

If you want to help protect the Daintree Rainforest, you can by supporting the organisations, picking sustainable products, and reducing your carbon footprint. Sustainable products will be labelled as being environmentally friendly and sustainably sourced and produced. Also, ways to reduce your carbon footprint are using renewable energy, try introducing a plant based day once a week, and driving less.

Related article: Which unique animals do you need to look out for in the Daintree Rainforest

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