Fauna of Australia
The settlement of Australia by Indigenous Australians was between 48,000 and 70,000 years ago. Research in 2011 using DNA suggested an arrival around 50,000 years ago. Europeans came from 1788, and significantly affected the fauna. Hunting, the introduction of non-native species, and land-management practices involving the modification or destruction of habitats have led to many extinctions. Some historical examples include the paradise parrot, pig-footed bandicoot and the broad-faced potoroo. Unsustainable land use still threatens the survival of many species. To protect the survival of its fauna, Australia has passed wide-ranging federal and state legislation and established protected areas.