ACT Protected Native Species List

The ACT Protected Native Species List is a list of plants and animals in the ACT that are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 2014 (NC Act).

These species are not considered threatened with extinction under either:

• NC Act or
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Why are species listed on the Protected Native Species List

Although not threatened with extinction, listing species helps the ACT Government:

• monitor them
• manage impacts from human activities (like collecting or habitat disturbance)
• make better decisions during environmental assessments.

The goal is to protect species before they become threatened.

Categories of Protected Native Species

The list has 3 sub-categories:

1. Restricted Trade
   A species goes in this category if uncontrolled buying, selling, or trading could harm wild populations.
2. Rare
   A species belongs here if it:
   • is not already listed as threatened, and
   • is rare in the ACT.
3. Data Deficient
   A species is listed here when:
   • there isn’t enough information about it in the ACT, and
   • it doesn’t clearly fit into another category or meet the criteria for being threatened.

How species get listed

The ACT Scientific Committee reviews nominations. They assess them using the criteria in the Nature Conservation (Protected Native Species List) Criteria and Processes 2025.

Anyone can nominate a species. Nominations should be addressed to the Secretariat of the ACT Scientific Committee.

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