Threatened species & ecological communities
Latest news
- Recent fact sheets, guides and information on listings
- Nationally threatened grassland ecological communities: Natural Grassland on Basalt and Fine-textured Alluvial Plains of Northern NSW and Southern QLD and Natural Grassland of the Queensland Central Highlands and Northern Fitzroy Basin. - February 2013
- Farming and nationally protected Natural Grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains - December 2012
- Landholders & Upland Basalt Eucalypt Forests - December 2012
- The Threatened Species Scientific Committee is currently seeking comments on:
- Recent threat abatement plans
- Recent threatened ecological community listings
- Monsoon vine thickets on the coastal sand dunes of Dampier Peninsula listed as Endangered on 27 February 2013
- Western Sydney Dry Rainforest and Moist Woodland on Shale Ecological Community listed as Critically Endangered on 27 February 2013
- Lowland Grassy Woodland in the South East Corner Bioregion listed as Critically Engangered on 16 February 2013
- Natural Grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains – listed as Critically Endangered on 8 September 2012
- Giant Kelp Marine Forests of South East Australia – listed as Endangered on 29 August 2012
- Recent species listing decisions
- Australian painted snipe - transferred from vulnerable to endangered on 15 May 2013
- Northern Corroboree frog - transferred from vulnerable to critically endangered on 6 April 2013
- Southern Corroboree frog - transferred from endangered to critically endangered on 6 April 2013
- Piawaning clawflower delisted on 6 March 2013
- Manypeaks sundew delisted on 6 March 2013
- Cherry fruited mallee delisted on 6 March 2013
- Long-flowered marlock - delisted on 6 March 2013
- Sticky hemigenia - delisted on 6 March 2013
- One-sexed hydatella or Swan hydatella - delisted on 6 March 2013
- James' paperlily - delisted on 6 March 2013
- Three-lobed meziella - delisted on 6 March 2013
- South Stirling morning iris - delisted on 6 March 2013
- Boullanger Island dunnart - delisted on 6 March 2013
- Arrowsmith stilt-lily - delisted on 6 March 2013
- Merrall's triggerplant - delisted on 6 March 2013
- Lodge's spider-orchid - listed as critically endangered on 26 February 2013
- Grooved helmet-orchid - listed as critically endangered on 26 February 2013
- King blue-grass - transferred from vulnerable to endangered category on 26 February 2013
- Lima stringybark - transferred from vulnerable to endangered category on 26 February 2013
- Subantarctic bedstraw - listed as critically endangered on 26 February 2013
- Grevillea corrugata - listed as endangered on 26 February 2013
- Homoranthus decumbens - transferred from vulnerable to endangered category on 26 February 2013
- Long-leaved myrtle - transferred from vulnerable to endangered category on 26 February 2013
- Moleskin dogwood - listed as vulnerable on 26 February 2013
- Tallebudgera spikemoss listed as vulnerable on 23 February 2013
- Humphead Maori wrasse was found ineligible for threatened species listing on 15 Jan 2013
- Recent key threatening process listing
- 'Novel biota and their impacts on biodiversity' was listed as a key threatening process, effective 26 February 2013
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Extensions to EPBC Act listing assessment and decision timeframes - timeframes for FPAL items that have recently been extended.
- Decision date on River Murray and associated wetlands, floodplains and groundwater systems, from the junction of the Darling River to the sea extended to 30 June 2013
- Decision date on Macquarie Marshes (formerly Wetlands of the Darling Basin, on 2009 FPAL) extended to 30 June 2013
- Decision date on Harrison's and Southern dogfish and 'Damage to marine ecosystems by trawling in the area of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery' extended until 31 May 2013
- Decision date on Long Lowland Rivers of South-east Queensland and Northern New South Wales ecological community extended to 30 November 2013
- Decision date on Kangaroo Island Narrow-leaved Mallee (Eucalyptus cneorifolia) Eastern Plains Complex extended to 30 November 2013
Australia is home to between 600,000 and 700,000 species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. About 84 per cent of plants, 83 per cent of mammals, and 45 per cent of birds are only found in Australia.
Changes to the landscape and native habitat as a result of human activity have put many of these unique species at risk. Over the last two hundred years many species of plants and animals have become extinct. For the other species of plants and animals whose survival is threatened, a range of management and conservation measures are in place.
Ecological communities are unique and naturally occurring groups of plants and animals. Their presence can be determined by factors such as soil type, position in the landscape, climate and water availability.
The Australian Government is working in partnership with state, territory and local governments, non-government organisations, tertiary institutions and community groups to ensure the protection of our native species.
Protecting threatened species and ecological communities
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government's principal piece of environment legislation.
The EPBC Act protects Australia's native species and ecological communities by providing for:
- identification and listing of species and ecological communities as threatened
- development of conservation advice and recovery plans for listed species and ecological communities
- development of a register of critical habitat
- recognition of key threatening processes
- where appropriate, reducing the impacts of these processes through threat abatement plans
Nominations
Any person may nominate a native species, ecological community or threatening process for listing under the EPBC Act. For more information on threatened species, ecological communities and key threatening processes, or making a nomination read more about:
- nomination and listing process
- threatened species
- threatened ecological communities
- key threatening processes
See also
Public notices
Open for public comment under the EPBC Act:
- Comment on nominations
- Permits
- Recovery plans
- Referrals and assessments
- Threat abatement plans
- Wildlife trade applications
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EPBC Act lists
- About the EPBC Act
- Critical habitat
- Key threatening processes
- Migratory species
- Recovery plans
- Species and communities under the EPBC Act
- Threat abatement plans
- Threatened ecological communities
- Threatened fauna
- Threatened flora
- Listings since commencement of the EPBC Act