🦘 30 percent of Australia's surface will become nature reserves

Australia becomes the latest in a series of countries to join the 30x30 initiative, pledging to protect at least 30 percent of its land so that animals and plants can live in peace there.

In total, there are 20 different locations and 110 threatened species that will primarily be protected by the new reserves.

Among the species to be protected are everything from orchids and mosses to birds and wallabies. Some species such as the Coastal Leek Orchid are so endangered that there are no more than 1,000 individuals left.

Protecting larger areas and more species has become even more important due to the large fires that have hit Australia in recent years. They have affected many species that were already struggling because their habitat was increasingly affected by human activity.

“Our native wildlife continues to be threatened by climate change, predators and human activity. The grass fires in particular have been devastating for many species, but we are very determined that we will now give our wildlife and plants a better chance to survive", says Tanya Plibersek, Australia's Environment Minister in a press release.