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In short:
Eight animals and five plants have been added to Australia's growing list of threatened species in the last month.
Animals are facing threat from habitat destruction or degradation and climate change, the Australian Conservation Foundation says.
What's next?
Experts are pushing for stronger federal environmental laws and protection as the federal government plans to introduce Australia’s first national environmental protection body.
Over a dozen new animals and plants have been quietly added to Australia's growing list of threatened species in the last month, prompting new calls for stronger federal environmental laws.
Eight new animals have been added to the listing in various levels of endangerment including the pig-nosed turtle (listed as vulnerable), Pugh's sphagnum frog (endangered), three critically endangered freshwater fish and three lizards, including one that had only been classified a species since 2022.
The flora species include flowering shrubs, a rainforest tree, and a daisy and an orchid species.
Each animal was facing threat from habitat destruction or degradation, as well as climate change, according to the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).
The additions mean that now 2,224 Australian species are being recognised as under threat of extinction.
Australian Conservation Foundation nature campaigner Darcie Carruthers said that the listings show current nature laws are "powerless to stop Australian plants and animals being willfully destroyed".
"Australia's forests, lizards, bush, wetlands and frogs needs nature laws with teeth and a truly independent Environmental Protection Authority to enforce them."
The federal government has planned to establish Australia’s first national environmental protection body in the coming months in order to enforce decisions made under environment laws.
The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) would be able to issue stop-work notices, fines and be able to audit businesses to check their compliance with developments approvals, as well as oversee enforcement of other environmental laws such as animal trafficking, recycling and sea dumping.
Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek said the Albanese government was determined to better protect Australian wildlife.
"No one wants to see another of our precious plants or animals go extinct.
"We're establishing Australia's first national Environment Protection Agency – a tough cop on the beat with strong powers and penalties."
She also said that listing native species provides better protection under the [national environment] law.
"Labor is investing more money in the environment than any government in Australian history, including cracking down on the feral animals and weeds killing our native species, as part of a $550 million investment," Ms Plibersek said.
Last year, a study from ACF found more species were added to the threatened species in 2023 than any other year.
There were five times as many species added as the average year, and twice as many as in 2022, the study showed.
"Australia has one of the worst extinction rates on Earth, and it's getting worse," it read.
"The laws that are meant to be protecting Australia's nature are failing."
Deforestation, climate change mean that legless lizard only recognised for two years before endangerment
The Hunter Valley delma, also known as the legless lizard, has been declared endangered just two years after it was named a species in 2022.
Ms Carruthers said that more than 90 per cent of the lizard's known range in the NSW Hunter Valley has been damaged by open cut mining and agriculture.
"There are at least 20 coal mines within the species' known habitat range," she said.
She said that, as is the case for so many plants and animals, climate change is exacerbating other threats.
She said that plant species are also being affected by deforestation.
"The Coffs Harbour Fontainea is under immediate threat from clearing and road construction works," she said.
"The tree is now only found in two pockets of bushland owned by Transport for NSW — within the boundaries of a road project.
"Despite its listing as critically endangered, one of two sites where the Coffs Harbour Fontainea is still found is earmarked to be cleared to make way for the Coffs Harbour bypass."
The latest report from IUCN's Red List puts Australia as the fifth worst country for animal extinctions globally, and the sixth worst for the number of species listed as endangered and critically endangered, according to ACF.
ABC