Protecting Australia's threatened species
Threatened Species Day fact sheet
Environment Australia, 2002
Australia is home to more than one million species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. About 85 per cent of flowering plants, 84 per cent of mammals, more than 45 per cent of birds, and 89 per cent of inshore, freshwater fish are endemic – that is they 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 plants and animals have become extinct. A range of management and conservation measures is in place to protect our remaining plants and animals whose survival is threatened. The Commonwealth 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.
National Threatened Species Day
National Threatened Species Day on 7 September aims to encourage the community to prevent further extinctions of Australia's fauna and flora, and to restore healthy numbers of endangered species and ecological communities in the wild. September is also Biodiversity Month, a time when many Australians celebrate our unique and valuable biodiversity with activities to protect and conserve the environment.
National Threatened Species Day was first held in 1996, to commemorate the death of the last Tasmanian Tiger in captivity in 1936 in Hobart. The concept was developed by the Threatened Species Network, a community based program of the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Commonwealth Government's Natural Heritage Trust, as a way to showcase Australian threatened species. By focusing attention on the plight of many of our threatened animals and plants, Threatened Species Day aims to encourage greater community support and hands-on involvement in the prevention of further losses of Australia's unique natural heritage.
What happens on the day?
A number of events are coordinated across Australia for National Threatened Species Day to raise community awareness about the plight of threatened species in Australia and to encourage community participation in conservation activities. Activities range from exhibitions and festivals, to displays, guided walks, workshops and a range of other community education and promotional activities. For more information about National Threatened Species Day and Biodiversity Month activities in your home state, there is a calendar of events and a free information kit available from the Department of the Environment and Heritage on toll-free 1800 803 772 or on the internet at: www.environment.gov.au/tsd
Take part in the Hands on for Habitat Awards
In addition to on-ground threatened species protection activities, Environment Australia has joined forces with Cadbury Yowie to run the annual Hands on for Habitat Awards. As a lead up event to Threatened Species Day, the Awards aim to encourage 6–12 year olds to learn more about Australia's threatened species and to participate in activities to protect these native Australian animals and plants. There are great prizes for individuals and schools and the artwork of winning entries is featured in the annual Threatened Species Day poster and stickers.
Where can I get more information?
The Commonwealth promotes the conservation of threatened species and biodiversity through the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The EPBC Act provides for the:
- identification and listing of threatened species and ecological communities;
- development of Recovery Plans for listed species and ecological communities;
- recognition of major threats; and where appropriate; and
- reducing these processes through Threat Abatement Plans.
For more information, go to the Department of the Environment and Heritage's web site at: www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened
For more information on Recovery Plans go to: www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery.html
For more information about National Threatened Species Day go to www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/ts-day
For more information about the Threatened Species Network, go to www.wwf.org.au or contact them on freecall 1800 251 573
You can also find out more information about Australia's threatened species by calling the Department of the Environment and Heritage's Community Information Unit on freecall 1800 803 772.
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