Species Lists and Conservation Status
Species Lists
AWC sanctuaries are often established in remote areas which are ‘biologically unexplored’. In other words, comprehensive biological surveys have generally not been carried out in many areas that are now protected by AWC.
One of AWC’s priority management tasks is to carry out baseline biological surveys to identify the species that are present on our sanctuaries. While we are making good progress with our biological survey program, it is not yet complete.
Accordingly, a species or ecosystem is included on the list for an AWC sanctuary only if that species or ecosystem:
- has been positively confirmed as present on the sanctuary by AWC staff or others with relevant knowledge and experience (eg, in the course of carrying out a biological survey; or an incidental sighting in the course of carrying out sanctuary management tasks); or
- has been identified as likely to be present on the sanctuary by a recognised expert after an inspection of habitats on the sanctuary.
Threatened Ecosystems
There is no consistent definition of an ‘ecosystem’ or ‘vegetation type’ which is used nationally in mapping habitats and assessing the conservation status of different habitats. AWC is developing a system to identify, classify and describe habitat types on all AWC properties. When completed, that system will be used to produce habitat maps for all AWC properties. This website will be progressively updated to reflect the uptake of our new system as it is implemented. As an interim measure, AWC has adopted the various state-based systems to identify and describe ecosystems on each property.
For the purposes of this website, an ecosystem on one of AWC’s properties is defined as threatened if it falls into one of the categories identified in the table below. These categories, as they relate to ecosystems, generally reflect the terminology and classifications used in State and Federal government systems.
In this context, an ecosystem is included in the ‘At Risk’ category if:
- it is not represented in any government national park or nature reserve; or
- it is inadequately represented in any government national park or nature reserve (ie, less than 5% of extent protected); And
- it does not fall within any other category.
Conservation Status
There are several different systems dealing with the conservation status of Australian native species and ecosystems.
For example:
- The Australian Government keeps a list of threatened species under its Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
- Each state has its own list of threatened species. Some of these lists are kept under legislation and some lists are administrative lists.
- For some types of animals and plants, a National Action Plan has been prepared which defines the conservation status of relevant species.
- The International Union for the Conservation of Nature also keeps a list of Australian species that are threatened.
Unfortunately, there are many inconsistencies between these lists. For example, the Carpentaria Grasswren is:
- Rare in Queensland.
- Endangered in the Northern Territory.
- Not listed as threatened by the Australian Government.
- Listed as Least Concern by the Action Plan for Australian Birds.
For the purposes of this website, AWC has prepared a list of the threatened species and threatened ecosystems that are found on each AWC sanctuary. In fact, we identify whether a species or ecosystem is listed as threatened at the National level or at the State level (or both).
However, please note that we only identify a species as threatened at the State level if it is listed as such by the State in which the relevant AWC sanctuary is located. So we don’t identify a species on one of our north Queensland properties as threatened if that species is listed only by the NSW Government.
A species or ecosystem is listed as threatened if it is listed within one of the following categories. These categories are drawn from the relevant State and National lists.
State Status
- Presumed Extinct
- Extinct in the Wild
- Critically Endangered
- Endangered
- Vulnerable
- Vulnerable (of concern)
- Rare or Likely to Become Extinct
- Declared Rare Flora
- Specially Protected Fauna
- Conservation Dependent
- Near Threatened
- Priority Flora
- Priority Fauna
- At Risk
- Of Conservation Significance
National Status
- Presumed Extinct
- Extinct in the Wild
- Critically Endangered
- Endangered
- Vulnerable
- Conservation Dependant
- Near Threatened
More >> View species lists and conservation status for each AWC sanctuary