Norfolk Island Region Threatened Species Recovery Plan

Norfolk Island has unique and diverse animals and plants. The Island was formed by an oceanic volcano, is isolated, and has never been joined to a land mass. The plants are derived from the chance dispersal of seeds and spores over vast distances of ocean. Many of these evolved into unique and endemic island forms in isolation from other populations and subject to different evolutionary pressures. There are more than 40 plant species found only on Norfolk Island. The majority of the Island’s remnant habitat is found within the Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden. The Norfolk Island pine is one of the Island’s best-known symbols and is common across the Island. It only grows naturally on Norfolk Island, and it can be up to 60 metres tall.

The most notable animals on Norfolk Island are land and sea birds. There are many iconic bird species, including some which are not found anywhere else in the world.

One such bird is the Norfolk Island Green Parrot, an endangered forest bird. Following conservation activities, its distribution has increased, from a small section of the National Park to right across the Island. Foods popular with the parrot include the seeds of the Norfolk Island Pine and the bright red fruits of the Norfolk Island Palm.

The endangered Norfolk Island Morepork almost became extinct in the 1980s when only a single owl remained. The population grew following a breeding intervention with the introduction of two New Zealand owls of a similar species. The owl is important for the ecosystem as it is a key predator.

Norfolk Island also has two vulnerable reptiles, the Lord Howe Island gecko and the Lord Howe Island skink, both of which exist only on nearby Phillip Island. Norfolk Island also has very diverse land snail fauna, comprising at least 40 endemic species. This consists of five critically endangered species, including the Campbell’s Helicarionid Land Snail, which was thought extinct but rediscovered in the National Park in 2020. In order to aid the longevity of Norfolk Island’s endemic species the Australian Government produces the Norfolk Island Region Threatened Species Recovery Plan.

Credit :  https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/territories/norfolk-island/environment