Dr Andrea Taylor holds one of only 65 remaining northern hairy-nosed wombats. Studies by Taylor and her colleagues have found that the wombat has experienced a significant decline in of genetic diversity as a result of habitat loss and degradation.
Many uncertainties surround the timing, magnitude and patterns of climate change.
Because these factors influence pressures such as habitat loss and fragmentation, the impact of climate change on Australia's wildlife is difficult to predict. It is safe to assume, however, that as global temperatures rise, the climatic conditions favoured by a species will shift to higher altitudes and latitudes. Such changes are likely to contract the habitats of many of Australia's endangered vertebrates. When habitats shrink, populations decline and lose genetic diversity. Species most at risk will be those with small populations, slow growth rates and poor dispersal abilities.