What is a threatened species?
A species is considered threatened if:
- there is a reduction in its population size
- it has a restricted geographical distribution, or
- there are few mature individuals.
A species may be listed under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 as:
- vulnerable
- endangered
- critically endangered, or
- presumed extinct.
How threatened a species is in New South Wales depends on:
- the extent of its population reduction across NSW and over time
- the size of its geographical distribution, or
- the number of mature individuals.
Populations, processes and habitat
Populations of species and ecological communities can also be listed as threatened.
Processes that threaten species may be listed as key threatening processes.
Habitat essential to the survival of endangered or critically endangered species, as well as populations of species or ecological communities can be declared as critical habitat.