Canberra is facing significant challenges for the conservation of its native animals with nine species lists changed down to threatened, vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
Responding to the changes, the Minister for the Environment, Rebecca Vassarotti said five new species had been added to the ACT Threatened Species list and four species had been updated, aligning them with Commonwealth threatened species listings.
Ms Vassarotti said the Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon was now considered ‘critically endangered’ in the ACT and the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Mountain Skink, Southern Greater Glider, Koala and the Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper all ‘endangered’.
“Our environment is under threat like never before,” Ms Vassarotti said.
“This news largely reflects the significant loss of habitat for our native animals during the devastating 2020 bushfires,” she said.
“We are in the middle of an extinction crisis and we have a responsibility to protect our ecosystems and the native wildlife that we’re so lucky to have here in Canberra.
“The ACT Scientific Committee has prepared Conservation Advice to lead the work of early intervention for these species and help them in their fight for survival.”
Ms Vassarotti said Government would continue to work with other jurisdictions to monitor and take action to help the Territory’s threatened native animals recover.
She said aligning the ACT’s threatened species list with the national listings would lead to stronger national collaboration to protect and conserve our plants and animals.
Further information on amendments made to the Threatened Species List can be accessed at this PS News link.
