Huge rise in endangered NZ species

6.00pm

More than 2300 of New Zealand's plants and animals are threatened with extinction, according to a Department of Conservation report released today.

"We now have 2373 species, ranging from soil fungi to blue whales, that have been flagged as at risk of extinction," Conservation Minister Chris Carter said in a statement.

"This is a shock because the previous classification system produced a list of about 400 species."

The report, compiled over the past year, used a new, more sensitive system for classifying risks to species.

The system groups species into categories such as nationally critical, nationally endangered, gradual decline and range restricted. The categories take account of the size of a species' population, area of habitat and rate of population decline.

There are 312 species listed as nationally critical, which are those with populations less than 250 adults, habitats less than 1ha as a result of human activity, or a rate of decline of 80 per cent in 10 years.

"Any species that meets any of these criteria, even if not currently in decline, is facing the very real threat of extinction in the near future," Mr Carter said.

Among species new to the endangered list are the Kauru longjaw galaxid, a recently discovered freshwater fish found in a single Otago stream.

Others new to the list are the pukatea bracket fungus; a species of octopus not seen in the last two years; and the Campbell Island snipe -- a bird discovered in 1997 on Jaquemart Island, off Campbell Island.

- NZPA

Herald feature: Environment