Introduced Megafauna: Friend or Foe?

Australia lost all its megafauna (mammals weighing over 100kg) to extinction tens-of-thousands of years ago. Remarkably, in 2017, Australia is home to eight species of introduced herbivorous megafauna… and a recent study suggests that these populations are ‘rewilding’ our modern ecosystems. While many existing species of megafauna are endangered in their native ranges, conservation has historically overlooked introduced populations based on the assumption that they are ‘invasive’ or ‘alien’. Lead researcher, Erick Lundgren from Arizona State University, joined Nic to explain how introduced megafauna are ‘rewilding’ new regions and why we need to rethink traditional attitudes surrounding conservation.