Threatened Species

Review of the NT Threatened Species List

In recognition of the International Year of Biodiversity in 2010, the Territory Government initiated a review of the conservation status of all species in the Northern Territory. The current NT Threatened Species List can be viewed here.

There have had two rounds of public consultation on the NT Threatened Species list.  The first, in September 2010, sought nominations from the public for changes to the Threatened Species List.  All suggestions and nominations received, which also included nominations generated from within NRETAS, were assessed by a panel of experts and collated to form proposed changes to the existing NT Threatened Species List. See below for the proposed changes following the first round of public consultation.

The second round of consultation on the proposed changes to the List has recently closed. All nominations and suggestions received will be considered by an expert review panel, including members from Charles Darwin University (CDU), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Fisheries, The NT Herbarium, The Marine and Coastal Conservation Unit, Biodiversity North and Biodiversity South.  Recommendations from the panel will be incorporated into the List and the review of the NT Threatened Species List will be finalised.

Summary of Proposed changes  - first round of public consultation

The following table lists the number of changes proposed in threatened and non-threatened categories for each of the major taxonomic groups.  Clicking on the name of a taxonomic group (left hand column) will lead you to more information on the proposed changes for each group, including details justifying each proposed change.

Taxonomic group*	Threatened categories	non-threatened categories
Invertebrates	6	0
Fish	0	4
Reptiles	8	7
Birds	21	8
Mammals	12	8
Plants	28	503

*N.B. there are no changes proposed for frogs

Comparison of 2007 and 2011 numbers of threatened species

2007

Group	EX*	EW	CR	EN	VU	NT	LC	DD	NE	Total
Animals	15	1	8	26	62	56	1329	243	54++	1794
Plants			2	16	47	381	3040	707	309	4502+
Total	15	1	10	42	109	437	4369	950	363	6296

2011

Group	EX(1)	EW	CR	EN	VU	NT	LC	DD(2)	NE	Total
Animals (3)	18	1	12	21	78	66	1307	230	52++	1779
Plants			3	23	55	416	3141	855	7	4500+
Total	18	1	15	44	133	482	4448	1085	59	6279

Notes:
*  IUCN categories: EX – Extinct; EW – Extinct in the Wild; CR – Critically endangered; EN – Endangered; VU – Vulnerable; NT – Near Threatened; LC – Least Concern; DD – Data Deficient; NE – not evaluated.

1. Extinctions last century confirmed:
Three more extinct species are recognised – recent surveys have confirmed that two mammal species not seen since early last century are not present in the NT today, and recent taxonomic changes in birds now recognise a species that has not been seen since 1936.

2. More Data Deficient plant species:
Increases in numbers of plants listed as DD, NT and LC reflect the large reduction in number of taxa previously not evaluated.

3. Small mammal declines in Northern Australia, and world-wide shorebird declines:
Recent declines in small mammal populations across northern Australia have resulted in increases in numbers of threatened animals (CR, EN VU), as did the listing of several migratory bird species that use the East Asian-Australasian flyway and have suffered habitat degradation in their northern breeding and/or staging areas, such that there have been declines in their numbers reaching Australia and the NT.

Classification of Wildlife

Under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act the Government is required to review the conservation status of NT species at regular intervals to ensure currency and accuracy, Regulations under that Act require us to use the IUCN criteria (version 8.1) which includes various levels of threatened and non-threatened categories. 

EXTINCT	Extinct [EX]
	Regionally Extinct [ER]
	Extinct in the Wild [EW]
THREATENED	Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)  [CR(PE)]
	Critically Endangered [CR]
	Endangered [EN]
	Vulnerable [VU]
NON THREATENED	Near Threatened [NT]
	Least Concern [LC]
	Data Deficient [DD]
	Not Evaluated [NE]

IUCN provide quantitative thresholds to distinguish between the different categories, which we have applied as rigorously as possible in proposing changes in this review.  For all public submissions resulting from this period of public consultation we will assess the available data against the IUCN’s quantitative thresholds when finalising the list.

Regional Assessment

We consider the conservation status of species within the NT using the IUCN’s Regional Guidelines.  For various reasons our listing for a taxon may differ from the national listing assessed under the EPBC Act, which is an assessment for the taxon across the whole of Australia.  Listing of threatened species under the EPBC Act is assessed by the Australian Government and the national listings are published on the DSEWPaC website.  Similarly, our listing may differ from IUCN listing for the taxon, which considers its global conservation status.

• Regional vs National or Global assessment of Conservation Status (pdf 58Kb)

Data Deficient and Near Threatened

In past reviews of threatened species status there was some confusion of the categories Data Deficient (DD) and Near Threatened (NT).  The attached document aims to clarify the differences.

• Data Deficient vs Near Threatened (pdf 68Kb)

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