Conservation efforts celebrated as 26 Australian species no longer need threatened listing

The eastern barred bandicoot is no longer considered a threatened species under biodiversity protection act. Photograph: Melbourne Zoo/Zoos Victoria

Australia may be the world’s leader in mammal extinction, with accelerating threats to native biodiversity in a changing climate – but successful conservation efforts may provide a glimmer of hope.

New research suggests that 26 Australian species have recovered enough to no longer meet the criteria for listing as threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.