Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00006:reg:3:p22
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00006
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 22/58)
Character Range: 62377–66095

the distribution of the species and the local extinction of Eastern Bristlebird populations (Baker 1997).

3.2                  Current threats

3.2.1            Threat assessment and prioritisation

 The approach to assessing current threats was taken from the Conservation Standards (CMP 2020), an internationally adopted set of principles and practices for conservation project design, management, and monitoring developed by
 the Conservation Measures Partnership. An assessment of scope, severity, and irreversibility (see Appendix 1 for detailed criteria) was undertaken for each threat and then used to determine overall threat ratings, based on an algorithm in Miradi Share 2.0 (Miradi 2020). Threat rankings are based on overall threat ratings.

 Threats were considered in the context of the current management regimes. Threat impacts have been assessed assuming that existing management measures continue to be applied appropriately. If management regimes change then the threat rating and ranking may also change.

 Threats may act differently in different parts of the species' range and at different times of year, but the precautionary principle dictates that the threat rating is determined by the population for which the threat impact is greatest. Population-wide threats are generally considered to present a higher threat to species recovery.

                 3.2.2            Summary of current threats

           Current threats to the Eastern Bristlebird are summarised in Table 2 and are outlined below in priority order (3.2.3–3.2.15).

           The ratings of four current threats vary among populations (see Table 2 and Appendix 2). Seven key threatening processes listed under the EPBC Act are associated with current threats to the Eastern Bristlebird:
•      Dieback caused by plant pathogens (Phytophthora cinnamomi).
•      Loss of climatic habitat caused by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases
•      Predation by European red fox.
•      Predation by feral cats.
•      Predation, habitat degradation, competition, and disease transmission by
             feral pigs.
•      Novel biota and their impact on biodiversity.
•      Land clearance.

           In addition, some current threats to the Eastern Bristlebird are reflected in state-listed key threatening processes.

TABLE 2: Current threats to the Eastern Bristlebird, ranked according to an overall threat rating derived from an assessment of scope, severity, and irreversibility.

Threat                           Scope     Severity    Irreversibility   Overall rating
Inappropriate fire regimes     Wildfire   Very High    Very High         High             Very High
Management*                    Very High   High        Medium            High
Climate change                 Very High   Medium      High              Medium
Lack of genetic diversity*        High     Medium      Medium            Medium
Dieback and invasive weeds*       High     Medium      Medium            Medium
Drought                           High     Medium      Medium            Medium
Predation by foxes*               High     High        Low               Medium
Predation by cats*             Medium      Medium      High              Medium
Disease (wild populations)     Medium      High        Medium            Medium
Clearing of habitat               Low      Very High   High              Low
Disease (captive populations)     Low      High        Medium            Low
Pigs *                            Low      Medium      Medium            Low
Overabundant herbivores           Low      Low         Medium            Low
Human disturbance                 Low      Low         Low               Low

 * Threat rating