New Zealand Threat Classification System

The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand.

The system was developed because the IUCN Red List, a similar conservation status system, had some shortcomings for the unique requirements of conservation ranking in New Zealand. plants, animals, and fungi are evaluated, though the lattermost has yet to be published. Algae were assessed in 2005 but not reassessed since. Other protists have not been evaluated.

Categories

Species that are ranked are assigned categories:

Threatened This category has three major divisions: Nationally Critical - equivalent to the IUCN category of Critically endangered Nationally Endangered - equivalent to the IUCN category of Endangered Nationally Vulnerable - equivalent to the IUCN category of Vulnerable At Risk This has four categories: Declining Recovering Relict Naturally Uncommon

Other categories Introduced and Naturalised These are any species that are deliberately or accidentally introduced into New Zealand. Migrant Migrant species are those that visit New Zealand as part of their life cycle. Vagrant Vagrants are taxa that are rare in New Zealand that have made their own way and do not breed successfully. Coloniser These taxa have arrived in New Zealand without human help and reproduce successfully. Data Deficient This category lists taxa for which insufficient information is available to make as assessment on conservation status. Extinct Taxa for which there is no reasonable doubt that no individuals exist are ranked as extinct. For these lists only species that have become extinct since 1840 are listed. Not Threatened If taxa fit into none of the other categories they are listed in the Not Threatened category.

Qualifiers A series of qualifiers are used to give additional information on the threat classification:

Qualifier Definition CD Conservation Dependent Likely to move to a higher threat category if current management ceases DP Data Poor Confidence in the listing is low due to the poor data available for assessment De Designated The criteria do not completely apply to the taxa EW Extinct in the Wild Exists only in cultivation or in captivity EF Extreme Fluctuations Extreme unnatural population fluctuations, or natural fluctuations overlaying human-induced declines, that increase the threat of extinction Inc Increasing Population thought to increase 10% over 3 generations or 10 years IE Island Endemic Endemic only to a single archipelago and not the main islands OL One Location Found at one location (geographically or ecologically distinct area) in which a single event (such as a predator irruption) could soon affect all individuals of the taxon PD Partial Decline Taxa has one or more secure populations but otherwise is declining RR Range Restricted taxa confined to less than RF Recruitment Failure Current population may appear stable but the age structure is such that catastrophic declines are likely in the future SO Secure Overseas Secure in other parts of its natural range outside New Zealand Sp Sparse Taxa in small, scattered populations ST Stable Total population stable TO Threatened Overseas Threatened in those parts of its natural range outside New Zealand

New Zealand Threat Classification Series

New Zealand Threat Classification Series is a scientific monograph series providing the NZTCS status of members of a group of species, written by an independent panel of experts. There are currently 23 groups, each assessed once approximately every 5 years.

New Zealand Threat Classification System

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