<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/22/australian-wildlife-threatened-species-list-record-added-2023>
"More plants, animals and habitats were added to the national list of
threatened wildlife in 2023 than in any year since the list was established,
according to analysis by the Australian Conservation Foundation.
A total of 144 animals, plants and ecological communities were added to the
list, five times more than the yearly average and double the previous record
year (2009).
Among the species listed for the first time were the pink cockatoo, listed as
endangered, the northern blue-tongued skink (critically endangered) and the
Jardine River turtle (critically endangered).
The high number of new entries reflects efforts by the government to work
through a backlog of species assessments. Many of the plants and animals added
to the list were affected by the 2019-20 black summer bushfires.
“The fact species are being listed as threatened is not the problem,” said an
ACF nature campaigner, Peta Bulling. “Scientists nominated many of these
species for listing years ago, so 2023’s high number shows the Environment
Minister (Tanya Plibersek) and her department are clearing the backlog and
making the list better reflect reality.
“The problem is the factors driving species onto the endangered list are not
being stopped. In the last 12 months, 10,426 hectares [25,800 acres] of habitat
destruction was approved under Australia’s national nature laws – the
equivalent to clearing the size of the MCG 5,000 times over.”
Bulling added that the amount of clearing approved was likely a fraction of the
total habitat actually cleared because land clearing in Australia often happens
without being assessed under environmental laws. She said forthcoming reforms
of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act would need to
address habitat destruction that was pushing native wildlife towards
extinction."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
