Endangered bird backed by $5m fund

Foxes, cats, and birds of prey have almost wiped out the ground-dwelling plains wanderer bird in Australia.

The bird is likely to be added to the Melbourne Zoo's list of endangered animals, currently sitting at 20, reporters were told on Wednesday at an event for Threatened Species Day.

There the federal government announced a $5m grant to help communities save local animals such as the Tasmanian devil, the honeyeater and the bandicoot.