Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01397:body:0:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01397
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 22457–25543

A provides a list of amphibian species that are considered to be under threat from the amphibian chytrid fungus, the immediate level of threat of possible extinction for these species (Skerratt et al., 2016) and their current listing status under the EPBC Act (not all are currently listed). Table B lists the amphibian species that have gone extinct.

1.4. Managing the threat
While eradication of this widespread and continuously present disease has not been possible in wild amphibians, an array of well-targeted actions, combined with well-developed management plans based on current knowledge, can assist in reducing the impact of the disease on threatened amphibian populations. This is particularly the case for present and future captive breeding programs.
Currently there are no proven methods to control this disease in the wild (DSEWPaC, 2013). For threatened frog species, emergency measures are needed to increase population sizes through strategies including captive insurance colonies, and assisted colonisation. It is vital that coordinated captive management programs establish captive populations in a timely and strategic manner to avoid crisis situations and possible extinctions. Captive husbandry techniques for each at-risk species should be developed and documented and genetic banking undertaken.
Chytrid fungus is now established in most of the climatically suitable areas in Australia. Despite this, considerable efforts continue to protect the few remaining isolated uninfected amphibian populations, and some uninfected areas such as the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (Murray et al. 2011a, 2011b). Some state governments have developed policy documents that contain strategies to limit the risk of spreading chytrid fungus. However, there has been little coordination between the states in policy development, risk analysis, surveying efforts for the presence and spread of chytrid fungus or limiting the impact of the disease once it has spread. Therefore, facilitation of coordination among jurisdictions would be of value in ensuring a consistent and high standard of threat abatement along with maximising cost efficiency. It would also help to identify if any high-risk areas have been overlooked to date.
Understanding the ecology and characteristics of the disease and how it relates to general environmental conditions, such as temperature, is important when developing effective management strategies (Alford et al., 2010). The mechanisms that underlie some amphibian species' resistance/ immunity (Clemann et al., 2009/10) and ability to co-exist with chytrid fungus at the species and individual level and the role this apparent resistance plays in allowing populations to persist and even recover from the impact of chytridiomycosis (Brannelly et al., 2015) (Rowley and Alford, 2013) should be further investigated. This knowledge could be used to improve management strategies, which are important for ensuring successful reintroductions and long term threat abatement.
As chytrid fungus strains vary in virulence (Rosenblum et al.,