Threatened fauna of Australia

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Threatened fauna of Australia are those species and subspecies of birds, fish, frogs, insects, mammals, molluscs, crustaceans and reptiles to be found in Australia that are in danger of becoming extinct. This list is the list proclaimed under the Australian federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The classifications are based on those used by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), however IUCN and Australian rankings do differ. Each state and territory has its own legislation relating to environmental protection.

Contents

2020: new database of threatened mammals

A new online database of threatened mammals launched on 22 April 2020 reported that there had been a decline of more than a third of threatened mammal numbers in the past 20 years, but the data also show that targeted conservation efforts are working. The Threatened Mammal Index "is compiled from more than 400,000 individual surveys, and contains population trends for 57 of Australia's threatened or near-threatened terrestrial and marine mammal species". [1]

Extinct in the wild

There are twenty-four birds (one from the mainland), seven frogs, and twenty-seven mammal species or subspecies strongly believed to have become extinct in Australia since European settlement.[ citation needed ] One fish is listed as extinct in the wild.

Critically endangered

Five mammals, six birds, two reptiles, three fish and five other species are listed as critically endangered.

Invertebrates

Fish

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals

Endangered

Thirty-four mammals, thirty-eight birds, eleven reptiles, eighteen frogs, sixteen fishes and eleven other species are listed as endangered.


Invertebrates

Fish

This exceptionally large Macquarie perch was caught on a lure (visible in the picture) and was carefully released. Macquarie perch.jpg
This exceptionally large Macquarie perch was caught on a lure (visible in the picture) and was carefully released.

Amphibians

Corroboree frog CorroboreeFrog.jpg
Corroboree frog

Reptiles

Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta01.jpg
Loggerhead turtle

Birds

Gouldian finch, Erythrura gouldiae Adult gouldian finch.jpg
Gouldian finch, Erythrura gouldiae
Golden-shouldered parrot Golden-Shouldered-Parrot-2.JPG
Golden-shouldered parrot

Mammals

Tiger quoll SpottedQuoll 2005 SeanMcClean.jpg
Tiger quoll

Vulnerable

Invertebrates

Fish

The red handfish CSIRO ScienceImage 2535 The Red Handfish.jpg
The red handfish
Great white shark Whiteshark-TGoss1.jpg
Great white shark

Frogs

Growling grass frog Litoria raniformis.jpg
Growling grass frog

Reptiles

Ornamental snake Denisonia maculata.jpg
Ornamental snake

Birds

Cape Barren goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae1.jpg
Cape Barren goose
Golden whistler GoldenWhistlerMale.jpg
Golden whistler

Mammals

Conservation dependent

Four fish and one mammal are conservation dependent.

Fish

Mammals

Threatened species legislation

Federal legislation

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) and Regulations set up a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places.

State legislation

Threatened species in Australia are protected by, or affected by, four main types of legislation:

See also

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References

  1. Kilvert, Nick (22 April 2020). "Australia's threatened mammals decline by more than a third since 1990s, but there's a silver lining". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  2. "List of Threatened Fauna". Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  3. "Australian 'genital-breathing' turtle faces extinction, group says".