By Ryahn Rahme
Wildlife news can feel a bit sad.
It’s been 90 years since the death of the last Tasmanian Tiger, a strange taxidermy thylacine head was auctioned recently, the H5N1 bird-flu is wreaking mass destruction, desert dingoes are being assessed for critical endangerment, and whale reproduction rates are decreasing.
So let’s look at some conservation good news.
In honour of National Threatened Species Day and National Wildlife Day, TAFE Media presents a feel-good conservation quiz:
National Threatened Species Day 2026 (September 7) marks 90 years since the death of the last Tasmanian Tiger. Today the date is a reminder of preventable loss and the need for intervention.
National Wildlife Day 2026 (September 4) is a USA conservation awareness initiative that coincides with the date of Steve Irwin’s death in 2006. Twenty years on, his legacy is honoured by his wife Terri Irwin, children Bindi and Robert, and their global organisation Wildlife Warriors.
How can you get involved?
- Keep learning about conservation. Check out the latest environmental news and search the terms and references you didn’t understand. You might discover something personally meaningful
- Attend local wildlife tours and museum exhibitions
- Follow your favourite conservationists on social media
- Follow and participate in wildlife photography
- Sign up to free newsletters that spark your conservation interests
- Pay for subscriptions to magazines that REALLY spark your interest
- Decompress and appreciate Australia’s biodiversity for yourself: go on regular nature walks
- Grow plants in your garden and get familiar with who you share your backyard. Become a citizen scientist and participate in your local conservation projects
- Start a conservation conversation with your buddy
- A bit of fundraising always goes a long way, host an event for a cause dear to you.
Featured image: Immerse yourself in wildlife news as we recognise National Threatened Species Day 2026. Photo: Japopz Tallorin/CC/Unsplash