Australia's threatened species
Useful Sites
Threatened species and threatened communities (Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities)
Provides an extensive range of information about Australia's endangered species. Click on 'Action plans and conservation overviews' for reviews of the status of different groups of organisms. Click on 'Information and resources' to find a series of fact sheets including 'Learn more about our threatened species'.
Australia's 5 year plan - outlines what WWF Australia sees as priority issues for Australia for the next five years.
Australia's success stories - provides details of some instances where conservation efforts have been successful.
Australia's priority species - describes the species targeted for conservation in Australia.
Threatened species (New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, Australia)
Information on threatened species, native animals fact sheets, keeping Australian animals as pets, living with wildlife, habitat protection and treatment of sick, injured or orphaned animals.
The IUCN red list of threatened species (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)
Searchable database of the world's plants and animals that are in danger of becoming extinct.
Conservation (Department of Conservation, New Zealand)
An overview of New Zealand's indigenous species. Click on 'Native animals' and 'Native plants' for fact sheets.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (transcripts)
How changing climate affects biodiversity (The Science Show, 26 March 2011)
Looks at how biodiversity will be increasingly threatened with predicted climate change.
Back from the brink: endangered species successes (ABC Features, 27 September 2011, by John Pickrell)
Describes how human efforts have managed to save, rather than further imperil, some animals on the edge of extinction.
The musky rat-kangaroo - a living fossil (The Science Show, 5 December 2009)
Discusses the risks faced by the musky-rat kangaroo as a result of loss of habitat, and the evolution of kangaroos over the fossil record.
Banksias (The Science Show, 9 August 2008)
Looks at the attempt to conserve the world's flora and, in particular, the many species of Banksia in Australia through seed conservation efforts.
Balancing Nature 1 - Australia (The Science Show, 26 January 2008)
Explores the issues faced by a "biodiversity hotspot" in southwest Western Australia.
Stem cells offer hope to endangered species (ABC News, The World Today, 5 September 2011)
Reports on the "frozen zoo", which will store stem cells from endangered animals.
George Negus Tonight, 1 September 2004
Program focusing on the future of the country's animal species.
Tasmanian devil
Discusses the cancerous facial tumours that are decimating the adult devil population.
Helmeted honeyeater
A report on work being done at the Healesville Sanctuary to reverse the trend toward extinction of one of Victoria's state emblems.
Dr Nicola Markus
An interview with the Species and Community Program Manager for the Worldwide Fund for Nature in Australia.
Zoo Habitats
Looks at how zoos try to recreate natural habitats.
Orange bellied parrot (The Science Show, 25 October 2003)
Discusses the orange bellied parrot breeding program at the Adelaide Zoo.
Breeding endangered species (The Science Show, 17 November 2001)
Discusses the use of cloning techniques to increase the numbers of native Australian animals.
Tasmanian Tiger (The Science Show, 17 November 2001)
Presents conflicting views on whether the Tasmanian tiger could and should be re-created.
The Mount Lofty Ranges spotted quail thrush (Ockham's Razor, 22 October 2000)
Presents reasons for protecting endangered species.
How gene pools work How Stuff Works, USA
Defines a gene pool and how it can shrink.
Page updated January 2012.