New research published in Austral Entomology has identified the top 26 Australian butterfly species and subspecies at greatest risk of extinction within the next 20 years. Each state and the Northern Territory has butterflies on the list. Only six of the butterflies identified are currently listed for protection under Australian law (EPBC Act).
The study was co-ordinated by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program and the research team included 28 scientists and butterfly experts from mix of land types, including conservation, public and private land.