Why should we celebrate?
Why should we connect with nature?
Why should we care about the diversity of life?
It’s Biodiversity Month! This month is dedicated to the biodiversity that surrounds us. The term biodiversity encompasses the variety of plant and animal life we are fortunate to be a part of.
It marks our calendars every September as a time for us to recognise the importance of biodiversity. The diversity of nature provides the building blocks for our survival, such as food, clean air, water, and shelter. Time with nature supports our health and well-being. While we need nature, nature also needs us.
Threatened Species Day is also in the mix this month, held annually on 7th September. It turns the spotlight on native plants, animals, and ecosystems that are threatened. Threatened is defined as ‘having an uncertain chance of continued survival’ and ‘in danger, or likely to stop existing’.
In NSW plants and animals are assessed if they are at risk of extinction. If the risk is high they are considered threatened and listed in legislation as either vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered, or presumed extinct.
Threatened Species Day was declared in 1996 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the death of the last remaining Tasmanian tiger at Hobart Zoo. This day is a time to reflect on extinction events in the past, the current rate of extinction in Australia, and the future of native plants and animals awaiting the same fate unless appropriate action is taken.
The Park is home to a variety of threatened species, including:
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Green and Golden Bell Frog
- Powerful Owl
- Southern Myotis
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle
You can view the Park's species list here.
