Threatened species and communities

The Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 provides for the listing of threatened native plants (flora), threatened native animals (fauna) and threatened ecological communities that need protection as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable species or ecological communities because they are under identifiable threat of extinction (species) or collapse (ecological communities).

The Western Australian Threatened Species Scientific Committee and the Threatened Ecological Communities Scientific Committee review nominations to list, delist or change the threat status of threatened species and ecological communities, and use the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List criteria for assigning species and communities to threat categories.

Conservation codes for Western Australian plants and animals133.13 KB  Updated: 08/01/2019

Listing threatened plants, animals and ecological communities

The Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 provides a statutory basis for the listing of threatened species, specially protected species, threatened ecological communities, critical habitat and key threatening processes.

• The Ministerial Guidelines provide details on the criteria and procedures.
• Amendments to the lists of threatened species and ecological communities are assessed annually.
• The Threatened Species Scientific Committee and the Threatened Ecological Communities Scientific Committee can recommend changes to the Minister for Environment.
• The public can submit nominations to add to (or delete from) the lists of threatened species (plants and animals) and threatened ecological communities.

Species and ecological communities may also be listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the Australian Government's central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places - defined in the Act as matters of national environmental significance.

Threat status

• When a species or ecological community is nominated as threatened, a threat status of Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU) is recommended.
• Because of resource limitations and the large number of threatened species and ecological communities, setting priorities is very important, with those ranked as Critically Endangered having the highest priority for recovery planning and management, as well as allocation of resources.
• Refer to the Ministerial Guidelines and conservation code definitions for flora, fauna and ecological communities for explanation of threat statuses.
• Public nominations can be made to the Threatened Species Scientific Committee to change the assigned ranking of a listed species, and to the Threatened Ecological Communities Scientific Committee for ranking changes for threatened ecological communities.

Data searches

• The department provides a service that allows people to find out if there are any known threatened and priority plants, animals or ecological communities at or near an area of interest.
• This information is particularly useful to anyone planning for development or other activities that may affect threatened plants, animals or ecological communities.
• This service is free for non-commercial purposes.
• Database Search request information sheet for Threatened and Priority Flora, Fauna and Ecological Communities provides more information on requesting a data search, including fees, conditions. Please use the contact details below.

Biodiversity Audit II

• Biodiversity Audit II  is an evidence-based and expert opinion assessment of WA's threatened flora and fauna, and threatened and priority ecological communities in each of the State’s 55 sub bioregions, undertaken during late 2012 and 2013.
• The audit portal presents a 'snap shot' in time of our knowledge of the condition of and threats to the State’s biodiversity and changes since Biodiversity Audit I was finalised in 2002.
• It also provides information on the management strategies considered necessary to address current threats and forecasts threats that could apply over the next 20 years.

Further information

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