• Threatened Animals
• Threatened Plants
• Endangered Ecological Communities
• Complete List of Threatened Species, Populations and Communities in Pittwater
• Key Threatening Processes
• Threatened Fauna Species Profiles (from Native Fauna Management Plan)

Threatened Species in Australia

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, temperate-zone fish are endemic - that is they are only found in Australia.

The Australian Government mechanism for national environment protection and biodiversity conservation is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The EPBC Act provides for:

• identification and listing of Threatened Species and Threatened Ecological Communities
• development of Recovery Plans for listed species and ecological communities
• recognition of Key Threatening Processes; and where appropriate
• reducing these processes through Threat Abatement Plans.

The term threatened is used to describe both endangered and vulnerable species, populations and communities.
Endangered species are those that are likely to become extinct if threats continue to those species.
Vulnerable species are those that are likely to become endangered should those threats continue.

In Pittwater two populations of animals are endangered:

• Koalas
• Squirrel Gliders

Pittwater Council and Threatened Species

Pittwater Council is committed to the conservation of the native biological diversity of the lands and waters under its control. Of particular concern are the threatened species listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Council's management objectives for threatened fauna and flora in Pittwater are to:

• ensure the survival and recovery of threatened fauna and flora species, populations and communities in the Pittwater Local Government Area
• identify and mitigate threats to the survival and recovery of threatened fauna and flora in Pittwater
• integrate the conservation of threatened fauna and flora with natural resource management in Pittwater
• integrate the conservation of threatened fauna and flora with lan-use planning and development assessment in Pittwater
• co-operate with orther organisations in the development of c0-ordinated programs for threatened fauna and flora conservation through the recovery planning process and other initiatives
• inform, motivate and achieve the support of the community in conservation of threatened fauna and flora, and
• encourage and facilitate increased understanding of the ecology and conservation requirements of threatened fauna and flora in Pittwater through scientific research, survey and monitoring.

Licences

Licence to harm or damage a threatened species

A licence may be required under section 91 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act if a development or activity is likely to harm a threatened species, population or ecological community or damage their habitat. Find out more on the National parks and Wildlife website ...

Scientific licences

You will require a licence under section 132C of the National Parks and Wildlife Act if you wish to undertake an activity for scientific, educational or conservation purposes, that is likely to result in one or more of the following:

• Harm to any protected fauna, or to an animal that is a threatened species or is part of an endangered population or an endangered ecological community.
• Harm to any protected native plant, or any plant that is a threatened species or is part of an endangered population or an endangered ecological community. You will need a licence if you plan to collect voucher specimens for identification purposes, pick cuttings or whole plants, or collect seed.
• Damage to critical habitat.
• Damage to a habitat of a threatened species, an endangered population or an endangered ecological community.

Find out more on the National Parks and Wildlife website ...

Updated: 13 Jan 2012