First, it came for the Melomys
June 14, 2016 10:04 PM   Subscribe

The Bramble Cay melomys, Melomys rubicola, a genetically and morphologically distinct species of Australasian native rat found only on a single small island, is now believed extinct.

Bramble Cay, an islet in the Torres Strait between Cape York and New Guinea, marks the northernmost point of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. Despite being subject to wind, wave, and tidal erosion and constantly shifting and changing in size - a succession of lighthouses since the early 1900's have been built, moved, and rebuilt as the island moved and changed - the stability of the vegetation cover supports seasonal nesting by seabirds and turtles. Until recently, it also supported a permanent population of melomys.

Melomys are cute, small, rat-like mammals native to Australia and New Guinea. Discovered by European sailors in 1845 (although, obviously, known to native fisherman beforehand), the Bramble Cay melomys was considered the only mammal endemic to the Great Barrier Reef. Although closely related to the Cape York melomys, Melomys capensis, it was believed to have arrived on the cay from New Guinea (either by land bridge at the of the last ice age 9000~5800 years ago, or by 'rafting') and had evolved into a genetically and morphologically distinct species.

Being only 3m above high tide, exposed to wind, wave and tidal erosion, and perched on the edge of a small coral reef on a basalt outcrop, Bramble Cay has for many years been considered at high risk from sea level rise. Between 2004 and 2014 erosion reduced the land area by nearly 40% (from 4ha to 2.5ha), and vegetation cover was reduced by 97% (to 0.065ha, or ~1/6 acre). Despite extensive surveys of neighbouring islands the Bramble Cay melomys has never been found elsewhere, although it's possible that a closely-related species may exist in the Fly River region of Papua New Guinea.

Last officially recorded in 2004 (although anecdotally sighted by a fisherman in 2009), the Bramble Cay melomys is being called 'the first documented extinction of a mammal species due to man-made climate change'.
posted by Pinback (10 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
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posted by The otter lady at 10:24 PM on June 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


🐁
posted by clavdivs at 10:30 PM on June 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e'e,
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!

posted by notyou at 10:33 PM on June 14, 2016 [13 favorites]


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posted by aurynn at 10:52 PM on June 14, 2016


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posted by lalochezia at 5:30 AM on June 15, 2016


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posted by Foosnark at 5:33 AM on June 15, 2016


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posted by thebotanyofsouls at 7:44 AM on June 15, 2016


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posted by univac at 7:49 AM on June 15, 2016


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...for the other species to follow
posted by BlueHorse at 8:30 AM on June 15, 2016


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posted by lisa g at 9:31 AM on June 17, 2016


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