Threatened Species

An estimated 1000 native plants and animals are currently at risk of extinction in NSW.

If you are considering developing property or clearing land, you may need to have a threatened species survey and an assessment of significance. Activities that risk damaging or harming any listed native plants, animals and ecological communities may require consent, even on private property.

What is a threatened species?

In NSW, plants and animals are assessed if they are at risk of extinction in the foreseeable future. Species facing a high risk of extinction are listed in legislation, and conservation actions are developed for their protection. A species is considered threatened if:

there is a reduction in its population size
it has a restricted geographical distribution
there are few mature individuals.

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 sets out to prevent the extinction and promote the recovery of threatened species, populations and ecological communities by:

conserving biological diversity and promoting ecologically sustainable development
preventing the extinction and promoting the recovery of threatened species and ecological communities
protecting the critical habitat of threatened species
ensuring that the impact of any action affecting threatened species is properly assessed
encouraging the conservation of threatened species and ecological communities by the adoption of measures involving co-operative management.

Threatened species may be listed under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 as:

vulnerable
endangered
critically endangered
presumed extinct.

Saving Our Species conservation programs

Local Land Services administers a number of programs aimed at protecting our native animals, their habitats, and supporting the recovery of threatened species.

Saving our Species is one of the biggest conservation programs ever undertaken in New South Wales. In partnership with DPI's Environment and Heritage Group and Landcare NSW, Local Land Services works with volunteers, scientists, businesses, and community groups to secure the future of Australia’s unique plants and animals.

Australasian Bittern
Glossy Black Cockatoo
Koala
Malleefowl
Scarlet Robin
Spiny Crayfish
Squirrel Glider
Swift Parrot
Trout Cod

Download factsheets on:
Threatened Species of the Central West PDF, 31581.3 KB.
Threatened Species of Western NSW PDF, 26810.28 KB.

How you can help

Local Land Services regularly run Natural Resource Management events, workshops, and funded projects that focus on protecting ecological communities, recovering critically endangered threatened species, and reducing pest animal and weed threats on ecosystems.

You can find out about potential threatened species on your property by searching the NSW Bionet database. You can also submit your own sightings and survey records to the BioNet Atlas to help maintain up-to-date threatened species location information.

Threatened Species