New Zealand's disproportionate number of threatened species
The most recent list published in January 2007, records 2,788 New Zealand species threatened with extinction and 3,031 data deficient species. The degree to which New Zealand’s biodiversity is threatened with extinction is only now becoming evident. The first IUCN Red List for New Zealand was published in 1982, which listed 92 species. The first comprehensive list based on a New Zealand threat classification system was published 22 years later in 2004 which listed 2,373 species. Most of New Zealand’s critically threatened species are at very low numbers and are conservation dependent. The intention of the New Zealand Department of Conservation within its recovery programmes, is to create self-sustaining populations of these threatened species. This goal will only be achieved if adequate funding is provided by central and local government and all land owners, both Crown and private take responsibility for the biodiversity in their care. An assessment is being made as to the appropriateness of New Zealand introducing threatened species legislation similar to that of the Australian Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation 1999 Act and the USA Endangered Species 1973 Act. A perceived adavantage with dedicated threatened species legislation is that all threatened species will be adequately researched and funded and will only be de-listed once they cease to be threatened with extinction.