dv said:
Coalition proposes to scrap recovery plans for 200 endangered species and habitats
Environment groups decry protection ‘downgrade’ that would affect Tasmanian devil, whale shark and Kangaroo Island glossy-black cockatoo
The Morrison government has proposed scrapping recovery plans for almost 200 endangered species and habitats including the Tasmanian devil, the whale shark and the endangered glossy-black cockatoo populations on Kangaroo Island, one of the worst-affected areas in the 2019-20 bushfires.
Environment groups have decried the move as a backward step less than 12 months after a statutory review of Australia’s national environmental laws found successive governments had failed to protect the country’s unique wildlife.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/18/coalition-plans-to-scrap-recovery-plans-for-200-endangered-species-and-habitats
I’ve been feeling lately that “endangered” has been overused. Well, not so much overused as overemphasised.
No, I take that back, overused. No, I take that back, in need of urgent protection.
Wait on … is the iucn level on these 200 species being misquoted?
“Endangered species” and “threatened species” are not synomyms on the iucn list, so saying “advises it on endangered wildlife, to review recovery plans for 914 threatened species” muddies rather than clarifies the issue.
I’m feeling very decisive today :-(
(Take a step back. Take a deep breath). Which 200 species?
Have to go back to the original source, which would have to be latest report of the Threatened species scientific committee (TSSC).
Is this on the web?
Is this the list? It includes both plants and animals. https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-tmp/publiclistchanges.246a61466cc975d4f63e.html
Perhaps that isn’t the list, because some items on the list date back to the year 2001. Long before Morrison can be blamed. Only 16 sepcies were removed from specific protection while Morrison was Prime Minister. Nup, this must be the list, because it has close on 200 species. So don’t blame Morrison.
Each item on the list has a specific reason why it was excluded from protection included as an attached document.
I note that some species are removed from the threatened list in need of protection because they’re extinct. That’s a valid reason.
I see that one “critically endangered” species has been taken off the protection list. Because “suggesting a different genetic composition during each hybridisation event … As Argentipallium spiceri is a hybrid, it does not meet the definition of a species under
section 528 of the EPBC Act. Therefore, the taxon is not eligible for listing under the EPBC Act.” The result of multiple hybridisation events in different locations, no not at risk.
Let’s choose something else and look at the reason.
The most recent three were excluded from protection on 11 Dec 2020.
Litoria nannotis (Waterfall Frog, Torrent Tree Frog). “The Waterfall Frog occupies extensive habitat within protected areas in Queensland (Wet
Tropics World Heritage Area), the population appears to be relatively stable and has been found to be present in many upland streams from which it had previously disappeared.” In other words, the population is stable or growing and is independently protected by residing within existing protected habitat so doesn’t need additional species-specific protection.
Litoria rheocola (Common Mistfrog). ditto.
Philotheca sporadica (Kogan Waxflower). “The distribution area covers several state forests, including Dalby State Forest, Braemar State Forest, Vickery State Forest and large parts of Kumbarilla State Forest … The distribution of this species overlaps with (two regions already protected)” There’s a lot more in this document https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/64944-listing-advice-11122020.pdf including response to fire, risk from habitat loss, grazing and weeds. “An initial total population estimate of 64 000 (in 1995)” has increased by about another 63,000 new individuals (in 2020). “population estimates are becoming more accurate. This is consistent with records held by the Atlas of Living Australia, which indicate an increase in records in the last three decades.” Fair enough.
Conclusion. The Guardian article looks like mistimed grandstanding by the Greens. Mistimed because this was news in Dec 2020. Always go back to the original sources, mollwollfumble.