The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is proposing to amend the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006 to reclassify the conservation status of various wildlife (plant and animal) species, in accordance with recommendations made by the Species Technical Committee (STC). The STC, a panel of government and non-government scientific experts, assesses the conservation status of wildlife species in Queensland against specified criteria, including a and risk of extinction. species’ population size Subject to Governor in Council approval, regulatory amendments are required to give effect to a species reclassification. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is in the South East Queensland listed as ‘vulnerable’ bioregion and elsewhere in the State. The STC has recommended that the koala ‘least concern’ be reclassified across its entire Queensland range. as ‘vulnerable’ The proposed reclassification of the koala is a result of improved knowledge of koala populations in Queensland and will align its conservation status under Queensland legislation with its conservation status of under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and ‘vulnerable’ Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Cabinet endorsed the upcoming amendment of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006 to reclassify the conservation status of various wildlife species, which would include the reclassification of the koala as across its entire Queensland range. ‘vulnerable’ Cabinet noted that there were not likely to be significant changes to regulatory Queensland’s environment as a result of the change in listing status. Attachments .
The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is proposing to amend the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006 to reclassify the conservation status of various wildlife (plant and animal) species, in accordance with recommendations made by the Species Technical Committee (STC). The STC, a panel of government and non-government scientific experts, assesses the conservation status of wildlife species in Queensland against specified criteria, including a species’ population size and risk of extinction. Subject to Governor in Council approval, regulatory amendments are required to give effect to a species reclassification. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the South East Queensland bioregion and ‘least concern’ elsewhere in the State. The STC has recommended that the koala be reclassified as ‘vulnerable’ across its entire Queensland range. The proposed reclassification of the koala is a result of improved knowledge of koala populations in Queensland and will align its conservation status under Queensland legislation with its conservation status of ‘vulnerable’ under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Cabinet endorsed the upcoming amendment of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006 to reclassify the conservation status of various wildlife species, which would include the reclassification of the koala as ‘vulnerable’ across its entire Queensland range. Cabinet noted that there were not likely to be significant changes to Queensland’s regulatory environment as a result of the change in listing status. Attachments .