A mouse that was declared extinct about 150 years ago has been found alive on an island off the coast of Western Australia. 

After comparing samples from over eight extinct Australian rodents and 42 of their living relatives, it was found that the formerly extinct Gould’s mouse is actually indistinguishable from the Shark Bay mouse. 

The findings were part of the research studying the decline in the country’s native species due to the arrival of the Europeans in 1788. 

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The ‘Shark Bay mouse’ is locally known as ‘djoongari’ and was originally found across the country. Many factors lead to the decline of the native species, namely agricultural land clearing, new diseases, climate and poor fire management. 

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The species only remains on a single 42 square-kilometre island in Shark Bay. According to experts, it is difficult for a species to survive on the basis of just one small population. Hence some mice have been taken to two other islands. 

The lead author Emily Roycroft, a biologist from the Australian National University said in a statement that the resurrection of this species is good news. She reasons that there has been a disproportionately high rate of native rodent extinction. 

Over 41% of the Australian mammals have gone extinct since the European colonised the country. 

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She further adds that the Gould mouses were originally distributed all across the mainland of Australia and now are only surviving on offshore islands. 

The research team also studied other native species that have gone extinct now majorly owing to the European colonisation, 

Scientists warn that the sixth mass extinction is happening at an exceptional speed with more than 80% of the mammals found in Australia being endemic. 

While the study describes the country’s extinction rate as extraordinary, another study from 2019 says that Australia is the home to about 10% of the most recognized extinctions. 

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Due to the lack of sensitivity towards wildlife, we humans have wiped out hundreds of species from the face of the earth. Right now earth’s sixth mass extinction is happening and that too at a faster rate.