* More than 65 Australian native animals and plants heavily impacted by the black summer bushfires will be listed as endangered in a race against the clock to protect them from extinction
* The updated status means these species and ecosystems will have greater protection under national environmental laws
* There will also be better plans in place to improve their populations
* An extra 48 threatened Australian plants, frogs, freshwater crayfish, insects and reptiles have been listed as endangered
* 20 threatened Australian species and 15 ecosystems have been given updated conservation advice to help increase measures to speed up their recovery
* Two birds, two frogs, one reptile, five mammals, 10 plants and 15 Australian ecosystems will have updated analysis of threats facing them and strategies to boost their recovery
* The federal government will invest $500 million to improve outcomes for threatened native species and to tackle invasive plants and animals
SPECIES GIVEN GREATER LEGAL PROTECTIONS
* Bulloak jewel butterfly: sub-tropical species found in Queensland
* Kate's leaf-tail gecko: reptile found in NSW
* 16 native spiny crayfish species found nowhere else in the world
SPECIES WITH UPDATED RECOVERY PLANS
* Maugean skate: ancient fish found only in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour
* Swift parrot: small bird characterised by its bright green feathers with red around the bill, throat and forehead
* Native macadamia: tree which first evolved in rainforests on the east coast more than 60 million years ago
* Yirrkoo (water mouse): small native rodent with slate grey coat and white belly
Australian Associated Press
