Threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Categories of threatened species
Threatened fauna and flora may be listed in any one of the following categories as defined in Section 179 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act):
- Extinct
- Extinct in the wild*
- Critically endangered*
- Endangered*
- Vulnerable*
- Conservation dependent
- About matters of national environmental significance
- Listed threatened species and ecological communities under the EPBC Act
Nominations for listing
The assessment of species as threatened fauna or threatened flora is the first step to promoting their recovery under Commonwealth law.
Any person may nominate a native species for listing under any of the threatened species categories.
An invitation to nominate is extended by the Minister each year ahead of a new assessment cycle. Nominations received during the invitation period are considered by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (the Committee) for inclusion in a proposed priority assessment list.
Nominations included on the finalised priority assessment list are assessed by the Committee, which makes these nominations available for public and expert comment. After assessment, the Committee's advice is forwarded to the Minister, who decides whether a species is eligible for listing under the EPBC Act.
- Finalised priority assessment list (FPAL)
- Comment on several FPAL nominations
- Listing threatened species, ecological communities and key threatening processes - EPBC Act fact sheet
Protecting listed threatened species
Once a species is listed under the EPBC Act its recovery is promoted using conservation advice, recovery plans, and the EPBC Act's assessment and approval provisions.
Conservation advices
Conservation advice is developed by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee based on the best available information regarding the conservation status and threats to an ecological community at the time of listing. Conservation Advice provides guidance on known threats and priority recovery actions for an ecological community that can be immediately undertaken at a local and regional level.
Recovery plans
In addition to conservation advice, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee also provides to the Minister a recommendation on the need for a recovery plan for listed species. Recovery plans are comprehensive management tools that enable recovery activities for threatened species to occur within a planned and logical framework. Recovery plans describe key threats and identify specific recovery actions and can be for either single or multiple species, or based on a region.
Assessment and approval provisions
Listed threatened species are matters of national environmental significance (protected matters) under the EPBC Act's assessment and approval provisions.
A person must not take an action that has, will have, or is likely to have, a significant impact on a listed threatened ecological community, without approval from the Minister.
To obtain approval, an action must undergo an environmental assessment and approval process. To find out whether an action is likely to have a 'significant' impact on a listed threatened species, read the following:
- Matters of national environmental significance
- Environment assessment and approval process
- EPBC Act policy statements
More information
To find out if a listed threatened species is on your property or area of interest, use the following tools:
For a comprehensive understanding of the provisions relating to listed threatened species, you should refer directly to the:
See also general information about the EPBC Act on the Department's web site.
For general information about threat abatement plans contact the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Community Information Unit email ciu@environment.gov.au or freecall 1800 803 772.
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