From Plants to Animals, (Many!) Endangered Species Populations Are Growing

New South Wales, in Australia, has conducted the first report on plants and animals risking extinction in national parks, and more than a third of all threatened species studied have a population heading in the right direction.

“It is wonderful to see them released at Powrunna [state forest] and it does feel like a success story, but the real cause of elation will be to see the current joeys breed, which will prove the new site is fully functional,” explains Principal Conservation Officer Dave Harper.

The first NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Threatened Species Status Report studied 101 threatened species, with the population of 23 species having improved and 13 having stabilized as of 2022/23. The endangered yellow-footed rock wallabie doubled, reaching 144 in the two years to 2022. Several extinct species reintroduced in parks have increased – three types of bilbies, two types of bettongs, bandicoots, and a numbat. Across Australia, more than 2100 plants and animals are in danger under federal laws, with 84% of the 928 in NSW being in national parks. Camera traps, acoustic monitors, and vegetation surveys were used to develop these findings. The authorities aim to have zero extinctions in their parks while improving or stabilizing all threatened species by 2030.