Updated environmental indicators show indigenous marine and land species are struggling against extinction, and wetland area continues to be lost, Stats NZ said today.
The indicators ‘extinction threat to indigenous marine species’ and ‘extinction threat to indigenous land species’ show the population trends of particular indigenous marine and land species, and how close we might be to losing them altogether.
“Environmental indicators are essential for building the bigger picture of what’s happening in our environment. They help us track changes and support decision-making,” environmental reporting manager Angela Seaton said.
According to the indicators, 90 percent of seabird species, 82 percent of shorebird species, and 94 percent of reptile species are either threatened with extinction or at risk of becoming threatened. In addition, the populations of many of our indigenous species are expected to decline.
Extinction threat to indigenous marine species also highlights marine taonga species – those of cultural significance to Māori – that are threatened with extinction. The partial list of marine taonga species was developed through research and consultation and complements data previously published on freshwater taonga species. Extinction threat to indigenous freshwater species was released in June 2021.
A further indicator published today, ‘wetland area’, shows an ongoing pattern of net loss. New Zealand’s (including the Chatham Islands) freshwater wetland area decreased by almost 1500 hectares between 2012 and 2018.
These indicators are part of a larger tranche which will inform the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ report Environment Aotearoa to be released in April 2022.
- Extinction threat to indigenous marine species
- Extinction threat to indigenous land species
- Wetland area
