Animals at risk of becoming extinct
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 article lists species classified as threatened species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Based on the list of Australian animals extinct in the Holocene , about 33 mammals (27 from the mainland, including the thylacine ), 24 birds (three from the mainland), one reptile , and three frog species or subspecies are strongly believed to have become extinct in Australia during the Holocene epoch. These figures exclude dubious taxa like the Roper River scrub robin (Drymodes superciliaris colcloughi ) and possibly extinct taxa like the Christmas Island shrew (Crocidura trichura ).[citation needed ]
An 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 "contains population trends for 57 of Australia's threatened or near-threatened terrestrial and marine mammal species".[ 1]
A study published in Biological Conservation in March 2023 listed 23 species which the authors considered to no longer meet the criteria as threatened species under the EPBC Act.[ 2] The team, led by John Woinarski of Charles Darwin University , looked at all species listed as threatened under the act in 2000 and 2022. There was one fish (Murray cod ) and one reptile (Flinders Ranges worm-lizard ) on the list, along with fifteen mammals, eight birds, and four frogs.[ 3]
Threatened species legislation [ edit ]
The list of species below includes those proclaimed under the Australian federal 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 also has its own legislation relating to environmental protection.
Federal legislation [ edit ]
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.
Threatened species in Australia are protected by, or affected by, four main types of legislation:
Extinct in the wild [ edit ]
One fish is listed as extinct in the wild.
Critically endangered [ edit ]
Five mammals, six birds, two reptiles, three fish and five other species are listed as critically endangered.
Thirty-four mammals, thirty-eight birds, eleven reptiles, eighteen frogs, sixteen fishes and eleven other species are listed as endangered.
Desert sand-skipper, aestiva skipper, Croitana aestiva
Central North burrowing crayfish , Engaeus granulatus
Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish , Astacopsis gouldi
Furneaux burrowing crayfish , Engaeus martigener
Scottsdale burrowing crayfish , Engaeus spinicaudatus
Gove crow butterfly , Euploea alcathoe enastri
Broad-toothed stag beetle , Wielangta stag beetle, Lissotes latidens
Freshwater snail, Beddomeia capensis
Land snail Mesodontrachia fitzroyana
Lord Howe placostylus , Lord Howe flax snail, Placostylus bivaricosus
Land snail Semotrachia euzyga
Land snail Sinumelon bednalli
Moth Phyllodes imperialis (southern subspecies)
This exceptionally large Macquarie perch was caught on a lure (visible in the picture) and was carefully released.
Spotted handfish , spotted-hand fish, Brachionichthys hirsutus
Elizabeth Springs goby , Chlamydogobius micropterus
Golden galaxias , Galaxias auratus
Swan galaxias , Galaxias fontanus
Barred galaxias , Galaxias fuscus
Clarence galaxias , Galaxias johnstoni
Northern river shark , New Guinea river shark, Glyphis garricki
Clarence River cod, eastern freshwater cod , Maccullochella ikei
Trout cod , Maccullochella macquariensis
Mary River cod , Maccullochella peelii mariensis
Macquarie perch , Macquaria australasica
Lake Eacham rainbowfish , Melanotaenia eachamensis
Oxleyan pygmy perch , Nannoperca oxleyana
Arthurs paragalaxias , Paragalaxias mesotes
Maugean skate , Port Davey skate, Zearaja maugeana
Redfin blue-eye , Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis
Corroboree frog
White-bellied frog, creek frog, Geocrinia alba
Yellow-spotted tree frog, yellow-spotted bell frog, Litoria castanea
Armoured mistfrog, Litoria lorica
Waterfall frog, torrent tree frog, Litoria nannotis
Mountain mistfrog, Litoria nyakalensis
Spotted tree frog, Litoria spenceri
Fleay's frog, Mixophyes fleayi
Southern barred frog, giant barred frog, Mixophyes iteratus
Lace-eyed tree frog, Australian lace-lid, Nyctimystes dayi
Baw Baw frog, Philoria frosti
Southern corroboree frog, Pseudophryne corroboree
Sunset frog, Spicospina flammocaerulea
Eungella day frog, Taudactylus eungellensis
Tinkling frog, Taudactylus rheophilus
Booroolong frog, Litoria booroolongensis
Loggerhead turtle
Loggerhead turtle , Caretta caretta
Yellow-snouted ground gecko , Diplodactylus occultus
Arnhem Land Gorges skink , Bellatorias obiri
Slater's skink , floodplain skink, Egernia slateri slateri
Western spiny-tailed skink , Egernia stokesii badia
Gulf snapping turtle , Elusor lavarackorum
Mary River tortoise , Elusor macrurus
Blue Mountains water skink , Eulamprus leuraensis
Corangamite water skink , Eulamprus tympanum marnieae
Pacific ridley , olive ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea
Allan's lerista , retro slider, Lerista allanae
Pygmy blue-tongue lizard , Adelaide blue-tongue lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis
Grassland earless dragon , Tympanocryptis lineata pinguicolla
Mary River turtle [ 5]
Gouldian finch , Erythrura gouldiae
Brown thornbill (King Island subspecies), Acanthiza pusilla archibaldi
Christmas Island goshawk , Accipiter fasciatus natalis
Wedge-tailed eagle (Tasmanian subspecies), Aquila audax fleayi
Red-tailed black-cockatoo (south-eastern subspecies), Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne
Glossy black-cockatoo (South Australian and Kangaroo Island subspecies), Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus
Carnaby's black cockatoo , short-billed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus latirostris
Southern cassowary (Australian subspecies), Casuarius casuarius johnsonii
Common emerald dove (Christmas Island subspecies), Chalcophaps indica natalis
Norfolk Island green parrot (formerly the Norfolk Island subspecies of the red-fronted parakeet ), Cyanoramphus cookii
Coxen's fig parrot , Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni
Golden-shouldered parrot
Eastern bristlebird , Dasyornis brachypterus
Amsterdam albatross , Diomedea amsterdamensis
Tristan albatross , Diomedea dabbenena
Northern royal albatross , Diomedea sanfordi
Gouldian finch , Erythrura gouldiae
Buff-banded rail (Cocos (Keeling) Islands subspecies), Gallirallus philippensis andrewsi
Chestnut-rumped heathwren (Mt Lofty Ranges subspecies), Hylacola pyrrhopygia parkeri
Swift parrot , Lathamus discolor
Helmeted honeyeater , Lichenostomus melanops cassidix
Southern giant-petrel , Macronectes giganteus
Black-eared miner , Manorina melanotis
Hooded robin (Tiwi Islands subspecies), Melanodryas cucullata melvillensis
Star finch (eastern and southern subspecies), Neochmia ruficauda ruficauda
Norfolk Island boobook , Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata
Forty-spotted pardalote , Pardalotus quadragintus
Night parrot , Pezoporus occidentalis
Western ground parrot , Pezoporus flaviventris
Black-throated finch (southern subspecies), Poephila cincta cincta
Golden-shouldered parrot , Psephotus chrysopterygius
Western whipbird (western heath subspecies), Psophodes nigrogularis nigrogularis
Gould's petrel (nominate subspecies), Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera
Antarctic tern (New Zealand subspecies), Sterna vittata bethunei
Southern emu-wren (Fleurieu Peninsula and Mount Lofty subspecies), Stipiturus malachurus intermedius
Abbott's booby , Sula abbotti
Chatham albatross , Thalassarche eremita
Christmas thrush , Turdus poliocephalus erythropleurus
Buff-breasted button-quail , Turnix olivii
Masked owl (Tiwi Islands subspecies), Tyto novaehollandiae melvillensis
Regent honeyeater , Xanthomyza phrygia
Tiger quoll
Southern right whale , Eubalaena australis
Semon's leaf-nosed bat , greater wart-nosed horseshoe-bat, Hipposideros semoni
Southern brown bandicoot , Isoodon obesulus obesulus
Rufous hare-wallaby , Lagorchestes hirsutus unnamed subspecies (central mainland form)
Northern marsupial mole , Notoryctes caurinus
Southern marsupial mole , Notoryctes typhlops
Bridled nail-tail wallaby , Onychogalea fraenata
Dibbler , Parantechinus apicalis
Western barred bandicoot (Shark Bay subspecies), Perameles bougainville bougainville
Eastern barred bandicoot , Perameles gunnii unnamed subspecies, mainland
Mahogany glider , Petaurus gracilis
Proserpine rock-wallaby , Petrogale persephone
Red-tailed phascogale , Phascogale calura
Long-footed potoroo , Potorous longipes
Spotted cuscus , Spilocuscus maculatus
Smoky mouse , Pseudomys fumeus
Hastings River mouse , Pseudomys oralis
Greater large-eared horseshoe bat , Rhinolophus philippinensis (large form)
Tasmanian devil Sarcophilus harrisii
Kangaroo Island dunnart , Sminthopsis aitkeni
Julia Creek dunnart , Sminthopsis douglasi
Sandhill dunnart , Sminthopsis psammophila
Carpentarian rock rat , Zyzomys palatalis
Central rock rat , Zyzomys pedunculatus
Northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii
The red handfish
Great white shark
Edgbaston goby , Chlamydogobius squamigenus
Murray hardyhead , Craterocephalus fluviatilis
Swamp galaxias , Galaxias parvus
Saddled galaxias , Galaxias tanycephalus
Eastern dwarf galaxias , dwarf galaxias, Galaxiella pusilla
Murray cod , cod, goodoo ,[what language is this? ] Maccullochella peelii
Blind gudgeon , Milyeringa veritas
Flinders Ranges gudgeon , Mogurnda clivicola
Balston's pygmy perch , Nannatherina balstoni
Yarra pygmy perch , Nannoperca obscura
Ewens pygmy perch , golden pygmy perch, variegated pygmy perch, Nannoperca variegata
Australian lungfish , Queensland lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri
Blind cave eel , Ophisternon candidum
Shannon paragalaxias , Paragalaxias dissimilis
Great Lake paragalaxias , Paragalaxias eleotroides
Dwarf sawfish , Queensland sawfish, Pristis clavata
Freshwater sawfish , largetooth sawfish, Pristis microdon
Green sawfish , dindagubba, narrowsnout sawfish, Pristis zijsron
Australian grayling , Prototroctes maraena
Honey blue-eye , Pseudomugil mellis
Whale shark , Rhincodon typus
Waterfall Bay handfish , Sympterichthys species [CSIRO #T1996.01]
Ziebell's handfish Sympterichthys species [CSIRO #T6.01]
Growling grass frog
Orange-bellied frog , Geocrinia vitellina
Giant burrowing frog , Heleioporus australiacus
Green and golden bell frog , Litoria aurea
Littlejohn's tree frog , heath frog, Litoria littlejohni
Wallum sedge frog , Litoria olongburensis
Peppered tree frog , Litoria piperata
Southern bell frog , growling grass frog, warty bell frog, Litoria raniformis
Alpine tree frog , Verreaux's alpine tree frog, Litoria verreauxii alpina
Stuttering frog , southern barred frog (in Victoria), Mixophyes balbus
Magnificent brood frog , Pseudophryne covacevichae
Northern corroboree frog , Pseudophryne pengilleyi
Kroombit tinker frog , Pleione's torrent frog, Taudactylus pleione
Blue Mountains tree frog , Litoria citropa
Ornamental snake
Five-clawed worm-skink , long-legged worm-skink, Anomalopus mackayi
Pink-tailed worm-lizard , Aprasia parapulchella
Flinders Ranges worm-lizard , Aprasia pseudopulchella
Hermite Island worm-lizard , Aprasia rostrata rostrata
Green turtle , Chelonia mydas
Lord Howe Island gecko , Christinus guentheri
Three-toed snake-tooth skink , Coeranoscincus reticulatus
Yinnietharra rock dragon , Ctenophorus yinnietharra
Airlie Island ctenotus , Ctenotus angusticeps
Lancelin Island skink , Ctenotus lancelini
Hamelin ctenotus , Ctenotus zastictus
Striped legless lizard , Delma impar
Striped-tailed delma , Delma labialis
Atherton delma , legless lizard, Delma mitella
Collared delma , Delma torquata
Ornamental snake , Denisonia maculata
Great desert skink , tjakura, warrarna, mulyamiji ,[what language is this? ] Egernia kintorei
Yakka skink , Egernia rugosa
Baudin Island spiny-tailed skink , Egernia stokesii aethiops
Bell's turtle , Namoi River turtle, Bell's saw-shelled turtle, Elseya belli
Bellinger River emydura , Emydura macquarii signata
Hawksbill turtle , Eretmochelys imbricata
Dunmall's snake , Furina dunmalli
Broad-headed snake , Hoplocephalus bungaroides
Christmas Island gecko , Lister's gecko, Lepidodactylus listeri
Mount Cooper striped lerista , Lerista vittata
Pilbara olive python , Liasis olivaceus barroni
Flatback turtle , Natator depressus
Pernatty knob-tail , Nephrurus deleani
Pedra Branca skink , red-throated skink, Niveoscincus palfreymani
Krefft's tiger snake (Flinders Ranges), Notechis ater ater
Bronzeback snake-lizard , Ophidiocephalus taeniatus
Brigalow scaly-foot , Paradelma orientalis
Lord Howe Island skink , Pseudemoia lichenigera
Christmas Island blind snake , Ramphotyphlops exocoeti
Fitzroy River turtle , Rheodytes leukops
Border thick-tailed gecko , Underwoodisaurus sphyrurus
Slender-billed thornbill (western subspecies), Acanthiza iredalei iredalei
Grey grasswren (Bulloo River subspecies), Amytornis barbatus barbatus
Thick-billed grasswren (eastern subspecies), Amytornis textilis modestus
Thick-billed grasswren (Gawler Ranges subspecies), Amytornis textilis myall
Lesser noddy (Australian subspecies), Anous tenuirostris melanops
Noisy scrub-bird , Atrichornis clamosus
Muir's corella , Cacatua pastinator pastinator
Baudin's black-cockatoo , long-billed black-cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus baudinii
Cape Barren goose (south-western subspecies) , Recherche Cape Barren goose, Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea
Cape Barren goose
Western bristlebird , Dasyornis longirostris
Antipodean albatross , Diomedea antipodensis
Southern royal albatross , Diomedea epomophora
Wandering albatross , Diomedea exulans
Gibson's albatross , Diomedea gibsoni
Red goshawk , Erythrotriorchis radiatus
Crested shrike-tit (northern subspecies), northern shrike-tit, Falcunculus frontatus whitei
Christmas Island frigatebird , Andrew's frigatebird, Fregata andrewsi
White-bellied storm-petrel (Tasman Sea or Australasian subspecies), Fregetta grallaria grallaria
Squatter pigeon (southern subspecies), Geophaps scripta scripta
Partridge pigeon (western subspecies), Geophaps smithii blaauwi
Partridge pigeon (eastern subspecies), Geophaps smithii smithii
Blue petrel , Halobaena caerulea
Malleefowl , Leipoa ocellata
Northern giant-petrel , Macronectes halli
Purple-crowned fairy-wren , (western subspecies), Malurus coronatus coronatus
White-winged fairywren (Barrow Island subspecies), Barrow Island black-and-white fairywren, Malurus leucopterus edouardi
White-winged fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island subspecies), Dirk Hartog black-and-white fairy-wren, Malurus leucopterus leucopterus
Crimson finch (white-bellied subspecies), Neochmia phaeton evangelinae
Christmas Island hawk-owl , Ninox natalis
Norfolk golden whistler , Pachycephala pectoralis xanthoprocta
Golden whistler
Red-lored whistler , Pachycephala rufogularis
Fairy prion (southern subspecies), Pachyptila turtur subantarctica
Plains-wanderer , Pedionomus torquatus
Scarlet robin (Norfolk Island subspecies), Petroica multicolor multicolor
Heard shag , Phalacrocorax nivalis
Macquarie shag , Phalacrocorax purpurascens
Sooty albatross , Phoebetria fusca
Princess parrot , Alexandra's parrot, Polytelis alexandrae
Regent parrot (eastern subspecies), Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides
Superb parrot , Polytelis swainsonii
Western whipbird (eastern subspecies), Psophodes nigrogularis leucogaster
Western whipbird (western mallee subspecies), Psophodes nigrogularis oberon
Soft-plumaged petrel , Pterodroma mollis
Kermadec petrel (western subspecies), Pterodroma neglecta neglecta
Australian painted snipe , Rostratula australis
Antarctic tern (Indian Ocean subspecies), Sterna vittata vittata
Southern emu-wren (Eyre Peninsula subspecies), Stipiturus malachurus parimeda
Mallee emu-wren , Stipiturus mallee
Lord Howe Island currawong , pied currawong (Lord Howe Island subspecies), Strepera graculina crissalis
Buller's albatross , Thalassarche bulleri
Indian yellow-nosed albatross , Thalassarche carteri
Shy albatross , Thalassarche cauta
Grey-headed albatross , Thalassarche chrysostoma
Campbell albatross , Thalassarche impavida
Black-browed albatross , Thalassarche melanophris
Pacific albatross , Thalassarche nov. sp.
Salvin's albatross , Thalassarche salvini
White-capped albatross , Thalassarche steadi
Lord Howe woodhen , Tricholimnas sylvestris
Black-breasted button-quail , Turnix melanogaster
Abrolhos painted buttonquail , Turnix varius scintillans
Masked owl (northern subspecies), Tyto novaehollandiae kimberli
Subantarctic fur seal , Arctocephalus tropicalis
Sei whale , Balaenoptera borealis
Fin whale , Balaenoptera physalus
Boodie , burrowing bettong (Shark Bay subspecies), Bettongia lesueur lesueur
Boodie, burrowing bettong (Barrow and Boodie Islands subspecies), Bettongia lesueur unnamed subspecies
Dingo , Canis dingo
Large-eared pied bat , large pied bat, Chalinolobus dwyeri
Kowari , Dasycercus byrnei
Mulgara , Dasycercus cristicauda
Chuditch , western quoll, Dasyurus geoffroii
Spot-tailed quoll , spotted-tail quoll, tiger quoll (Tasmanian population), Dasyurus maculatus maculatus
Golden bandicoot (mainland subspecies), Isoodon auratus auratus
Golden bandicoot (Barrow Island subspecies), Isoodon auratus barrowensis
Southern brown bandicoot (Nuyts Archipelago subspecies), Isoodon obesulus nauticus
Spectacled hare-wallaby (Barrow Island subspecies), Lagorchestes conspicillatus conspicillatus
Rufous hare-wallaby (Bernier Island subspecies), Lagorchestes hirsutus bernieri
Rufous hare-wallaby (Dorre Island subspecies), Lagorchestes hirsutus dorreae
Banded hare-wallaby , marnine, munning, Lagostrophus fasciatus fasciatus
Greater stick-nest rat , wopilkara, Leporillus conditor
Barrow Island euro , Macropus robustus isabellinus
Greater bilby , Macrotis lagotis
Humpback whale , Megaptera novaeangliae
Golden-backed tree-rat , Mesembriomys macrurus
Southern elephant seal , Mirounga leonina
Numbat , Myrmecobius fasciatus
Australian sea-lion , Neophoca cinerea
Northern hopping-mouse , Notomys aquilo
Dusky hopping-mouse , wilkiniti, Notomys fuscus
Corben's long-eared bat , south-eastern long-eared bat, Nyctophilus corbeni
Eastern barred bandicoot (Tasmania subspecies), Perameles gunnii gunnii
Yellow-bellied glider , fluffy glider (Wet Tropics subspecies), Petaurus australis unnamed subspecies.
Warru , black-footed rock-wallaby (MacDonnell Ranges race), Petrogale lateralis MacDonnell Ranges race
Black-footed rock-wallaby (West Kimberley race), Petrogale lateralis West Kimberley race
Recherche rock-wallaby , Petrogale lateralis hacketti
Black-flanked rock-wallaby , Petrogale lateralis lateralis
Pearson Island rock-wallaby , Petrogale lateralis pearsoni
Brush-tailed rock-wallaby , Petrogale penicillata
Yellow-footed rock-wallaby (South Australia and New South Wales subspecies), Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus
Long-nosed potoroo (south-east mainland subspecies), Potorous tridactylus tridactylus
Carpentarian false antechinus , Pseudantechinus mimulus
Western ringtail possum , Pseudocheirus occidentalis
Plains rat , Pseudomys australis
Djoongari , Alice Springs mouse, Shark Bay mouse, Pseudomys fieldi
Pilliga mouse , Pseudomys pilligaensis
Heath mouse , Pseudomys shortridgei
Spectacled flying-fox , Pteropus conspicillatus
Grey-headed flying-fox , Pteropus poliocephalus
Pilbara leaf-nosed bat , Rhinonicteris aurantius (Pilbara form)
Quokka , Setonix brachyurus
Butler's dunnart , Sminthopsis butleri
Boullanger Island dunnart , Sminthopsis griseoventer boullangerensis
Common wombat (Bass Strait subspecies), Vombatus ursinus ursinus
False water rat , water mouse, Xeromys myoides
Arnhem rock-rat , Arnhem Land rock-rat, Zyzomys maini
Conservation-dependent [ edit ]
Four fish and one mammal are dependent on conservation measures .
School shark , eastern school shark, snapper shark, tope, soupfin shark, Galeorhinus galeus
Orange roughy , deep-sea perch, red roughy, Hoplostethus atlanticus
Eastern gemfish , Rexea solandri (eastern Australian population)
Southern bluefin tuna , Thunnus maccoyii
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