Threats

Key threatening processes are the things that threaten - or could threaten - the survival or evolutionary development of species, populations or ecological communities. They are listed in the Threatened Species Conservation Act, and include:

Pest animals. Introduced animal species can compete with, and prey upon, native animals. They can also damage native plants and degrade natural habitats.
Weeds. Weeds compete with native plants for resources such as light and nutrients. They can aggressively invade areas, displacing native plants and animals.
Diseases. Exotic fungal infections, viruses and other pathogens can weaken and kill native species.
Habitat loss/change. From large-scale land clearing to the gathering of bushrock for suburban gardens, humans have degraded many native environments across the state.

The list below shows the 31 key threatening processes listed in NSW. Click on the links to find out more about each threatening process and the species it threatens. You can also find general information on weeds, pests and other threats on the NPWS website.

Key threatening process	Type of threat	More info
Invasion and establishment of exotic vines and scramblers	Weed	See profile
Invasion of native plant communities by bitou bush & boneseed	Weed	See profile
Invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses	Weed	See profile
Invasion, establishment and spread of Lantana camara	Weed	See profile
Competition and grazing by the feral European rabbit	Pest animal	See profile
Competition and habitat degradation by feral goats	Pest animal	See profile
Competition from feral honeybees	Pest animal	See profile
Herbivory and environmental degradation caused by feral deer	Pest animal	See profile
Importation of red imported fire ants into NSW	Pest animal	See profile
Introduction of the large earth bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)	Pest animal	See profile
Invasion and establishment of the Cane Toad	Pest animal	See profile
Invasion of the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes)	Pest animal	See profile
Predation by feral cats	Pest animal	See profile
Predation by the European Red Fox	Pest animal	See profile
Predation by the Plague Minnow (Gambusia holbrooki)	Pest animal	See profile
Predation by the *ship rat (Rattus rattus) on Lord Howe Island*	Pest animal	See profile
Predation, habitat degradation, competition and disease transmission by Feral Pigs (Sus scrofa)	Pest animal	See profile
Alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers, streams, floodplains & wetlands.	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Bushrock Removal	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Clearing of native vegetation	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Alteration of habitat following subsidence due to longwall mining	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Ecological consequences of high frequency fires	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Human-caused Climate Change	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Loss and/or degradation of sites used for hill-topping by butterflies	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Loss of Hollow-bearing Trees - key threatening process	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Removal of dead wood and dead trees	Habitat loss/change	See profile
Infection by Psittacine circoviral (beak & feather) disease affecting endangered psittacine species	Disease	See profile
Infection of frogs by amphibian chytrid fungus causing the disease chytridiomycosis	Disease	See profile
Infection of native plants by *Phytophthora cinnamomi*	Disease	See profile
Death or injury to marine species following capture in shark control programs on ocean beaches	Other threat	See profile
Entanglement in, or injestion of anthropogenic debris in marine and esturine environments	Other threat	See profile

Last updated: 01/09/2005