Australia is home to the most incredible ocean wildlife on earth, but many of our species are threatened or endangered. Our threatened marine life like our turtles, whales and sharks need our help.
Global studies have revealed that our northern oceans are some of the last remaining healthy tropical seas in the world. In our cool southern oceans, an incredible 80% of the marine species there occur nowhere else on Earth.
This means that if we lose them from our waters, they are lost from the world forever.
Australians love our whales, seals and marine turtles, but these iconic species are at risk from a range of impacts, including overfishing, pollution and climate change. Many of our marine mammals have suffered from historical hunting and over-exploitation, and are now legally recognised as threatened.
Australian sea lions are Australia's only pinniped, native only to our shores.
Historically hunted for their fur, Australian sea lion numbers are at extremely low levels
Dugongs are shy, elusive marine mammals that depend on healthy seagrass meadows for their diet.
Dugong populations have declined globally. We have a global obligation to conserve this species.
15 species of dolphins and one species of porpoise live in Australian waters.
Plastic pollution, industrialisation, shark nets and commercial fishing are threats to dolphins.
Hammerhead sharks are an iconic species inhabiting Australia’s waters but they are under threat.
To save them, we must implement stronger levels of protection for them and reduce fishing pressure.
Identified as a new species in 2005, the snubfin dolphin is Australia’s only native dolphin.
Snubfin dolphins are considered vulnerable to extinction globally and in QLD due to low population
Industrial shipping, plastic pollution and illegal hunting threaten our whales.
These threats risk a future in which whales are just a memory.
This unique and iconic ray is sadly under threat.
We must protect the sawfish and reduce fishing pressure.
The maugean skate is only found in Tasmania.
This ray may become the world's first marine fish extinction in modern times.
Get the latest news on protecting our threatened ocean wildlife.