Threatened fauna species numbers
Key Finding
The total number of fauna species listed as threatened (‘vulnerable’, ‘endangered’ or ‘presumed extinct’) in Queensland increased to 228 between 2007 and 2019. Notably, 1 species has been listed as ‘presumed extinct’ since 2017.
Threatened species in Queensland are listed under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) in the categories ‘vulnerable’, ‘endangered’ and ‘presumed extinct’. Species at risk of becoming threatened in the near future are listed as ‘near threatened’.
Comparison of species numbers between 2017 and 2019 show:
- total number of fauna species listed as threatened has increased by 4
- the total number of fauna listed under ‘vulnerable’ decreased by 4 species, ‘endangered’ increased by 6 species and ‘presumed extinct’ increased by 1 species between 2017 and 2019.
The number of ‘endangered’ birds increased from 25 to 29 between 2017 and 2019. Birds have the highest number of total threatened species (65 species) followed by mammals (54 species), reptiles (52 species) and frogs (35 species).
There has been no change in the number of ‘near threatened’ fauna (31 species) between 2017 and 2019.
As part of the Common Assessment Method process to align the threatened species classes between the NCA and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) the new classes of ‘Extinct’ and ‘Critically Endangered’ have been added.
Despite recovery efforts by state and local governments and many non-government organisations, the threat of extinction is still very real for threatened fauna in Queensland.
The loss of fauna species significantly impacts First Nations People who through thousands of generations have passed on their knowledge relating to the protection, management, and sustainable use of fauna species as a food source, for medicine, shelter, tools and utensils or for totemic, religious and ceremonial purposes. Any future loss of fauna species compromises First Nations People’s responsibility to maintain their cultural knowledge systems and connection to country through culturally led stewardship.
More information:
Relevant Sustainable Development Goals’ targets
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Download data from Queensland Government data
Metadata
Count of threatened fauna species' conservation status, comparing between 2007 to 2020. Categorised into fauna groups including: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Frogs, Fish, Butterflies, Crayfish and Snails. Data current as at 20 September 2019 Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006 which the last change to the regulation that lists threatened species.