Biodiversity Hotspots
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Australia is one of seventeen countries described as being 'megadiverse'. This group of countries has less than 10% of the global surface, but support more than 70% of the biological diversity on earth.
The concept was first developed by Russell Mittermeier in 1988, as a way to prioritise conservation action. Based on an analysis of primate conservation priorities, he found that four countries accounted for two-thirds of all primate species. The analysis was then expanded to include other mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, plants and selected groups of insects.
This resulted in 17 countries being identified, representing more than two-thirds of all (known) life forms and the majority of tropical rainforests, coral reefs and other priority systems. The results of the assessment were published in the Megadiversity: Earth's biologically wealthiest nations (Mittermeier, Gil and Mittermeier eds. 1997. Cemex, Mexico). Find out more about the megadiverse countries
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Australia is home to between 600,000 and 700,000 species, many of which are endemic, that is they are found nowhere else in the world. These include, for example, 84% of our plant species, 83% of mammals, and 45% of birds.
Australia's biodiversity - the plants, animals, micro-organisms and their ecosystems - is threatened from the impacts of human activities. Since European settlement, more than 50 species of Australian animals and over 60 species of Australian plants are known to have become extinct.
Refer to our SPRAT database for listings and details of threatened flora and fauna.
Biodiversity hotspots are areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented. They are also areas with a high diversity of locally endemic species, which are species that are not found or are rarely found outside the hotspot.
The current, planned or potential management activities in hotspots place the natural values at risk, and it is likely this risk will increase in the future in the absence of active conservation management.
Because the natural values of hotspots are largely intact, undertaking action now to maintain these values has the potential to provide value-for-money in contributing to our efforts in biodiversity conservation.
Photo: Kevin Watt
The Australian Government’s $36 million Maintaining Australia's Biodiversity Hotspots Programme focuses on action to improve the conservation of hotspots on private and leasehold land. The programme has two delivery components, stewardship payments and voluntary property acquisitions. More about the Maintaining Australia's Biodiversity Hotspots Programme
Action is also being taken at the regional and local scale through the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Funding is provided to regions to implement accredited natural resource management plans. A major requirement for accreditation is that plans cover the full range of natural resource management issues, including biodiversity conservation. More about Biodiversity Conservation in Regional Planning.
The Australian Government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee, with input from experts in biodiversity conservation from the states and territories, identified 15 hotspots across Australia. More about national hotspots.
Conservation International has identified 31 international biodiversity hotspots. These areas support as endemics no less than 44% of the world’s plants and 35% of terrestrial vertebrates. As well as looking at endemic species, international hotspots have also lost at least 70% of their original extent. More about international hotspots.