Tasmania has a rich and unique flora and fauna, with many species occuring nowhere else on Earth. Many species which flourish in Tasmania occurred on mainland Australia until relatively recently. Tasmania acts as a last refuge for these species that have become extinct on the mainland. With extensive areas of high quality wilderness and high levels of protection within our extensive and diverse reserve system, Tasmania offers hope for the future of our remarkable natural heritage.

Yet many of the State's plants and animals are threatened with extinction. The causes of these threats are many, and include the impacts of introduced species, loss of habitat and degradation of habitats.

More than 600 species of plant and animal are listed on the schedules of Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, with new species being added to the list regularly.

Threatened Species Educational Kit
This resource, specifically designed for school students, provides details on some of Tasmania's threatened animals and plants.

The Biodiversity Conservation Branch of the Department of Primary Industries and Water is the lead agency in the management of Tasmania's threatened species, and their web site provides a wide range of detailed resources, including:

• Tasmania's Threatened Fauna Handbook
  Provides a comprehensive account of the State's threatened fauna.
• Threatened Species Strategy
  The guiding document for the protection of Tasmania's threatened species.
• Threatened Species Lists, Listing Statements and Recovery Plans
  Plants and animals covered by the Threatened Species Act with links to Listing Statements, Fact Sheets and Recovery Plans, and nomination information.