Conservation organisation calls for stronger laws to protect Australia's threatened species

As Australia's list of threatened species continues to grow with eight animals and five plants added in the last month, the Australian Conservation Foundation is calling for stronger protection laws.

The new fauna listings are three freshwater fish, three lizards, one frog and one turtle.

The flora listings are one rainforest tree, two flowering shrubs, a daisy and an orchid species.

Each of the new animal listings is under threat from habitat destruction or degradation.

Australian Conservation Foundation nature campaigner Darcie Carruthers notes "Australia has the most reptile species on the planet and more than 90% of them are not found anywhere else, so it's really sad to see three more lizards added to the list.

"The Hunter Valley delma, a legless lizard, was only named a species in 2022 and two years later it is declared endangered.

"More than 90% of the lizard's known range in the NSW Hunter Valley has been damaged by open cut mining and agriculture. There are at least 20 coal mines within the species' known habitat range.

"Plant species are also being affected by deforestation. One rainforest tree has hurtled directly to the 'critically endangered' category.

"The Coffs Harbour Fontainea is under immediate threat from clearing and road construction works. The tree is now only found in two pockets of bushland owned by Transport for NSW - within the boundaries of a road project.

"Despite its listing as critically endangered, one of two sites where the Coffs Harbour Fontainea is still found is earmarked to be cleared to make way for the Coffs Harbour bypass.

"Three freshwater fish species - all found at South Australia's Witjira-Dalhousie Mound Springs - have been added to the list. The springs are fed by the Great Artesian Basin. Many have dried up due to water extraction for mining, petroleum operations and pastoral use.

"As is the case for so many plants and animals, climate change is exacerbating other threats.

"These latest listings show our nature laws are powerless to stop Australian plants and animals being willfully destroyed.

"Australia's forests, lizards, bush, wetlands and frogs needs nature laws with teeth and a truly independent Environmental Protection Authority to enforce them."

Australia's government now recognises 2,224 species as being under threat of extinction.

The latest additions to the threatened species list are:

• Dalhousie goby - critically endangered

• Dalhousie hardyhead - critically endangered

• Dalhousie catfish - critically endangered

• Pig-nosed turtle - vulnerable

• Pugh's sphagnum frog - endangered

• Hunter Valley delma - endangered

• Alpine water skink - vulnerable

• Ringed thin-tail gecko - endangered

• Spyridium cinereum - endangered

• Brachyscome brownii - critically endangered

• Fontainea sp. Coffs Harbour - critically endangered

• Sannantha whitei - critically endangered

• Caladenia amnicola - endangered

Analysis by Australian Conservation Foundation found more species were added to the national threatened species list in 2023 than in any other year since the list was established.

Image. The Hunter Valley delma, a legless lizard, was only named a species in 2022 and two years later it is declared endangered