Conondale Spiny Crayfish Endangered by Climate Change
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- Ollie Scully discovered a juvenile Conondale spiny crayfish about 15 cm long in a Queensland creek, noting a regrowing claw after a possible eel encounter.
- The Conondale spiny crayfish is one of 52 Australian spiny crayfish species and is listed as endangered.
- Australia’s threatened species list now includes 36 spiny crayfish species, up from three in 2019, with more expected to be added.
- Dr. Nick Whiterod warns that climate change, fire, and habitat loss are the main threats to spinies, which need at least five years to reach reproductive age.
- Spinies can live up to 50 years, inhabit habitats from Queensland rainforests to South Australian alpine bogs, and face additional threats from feral pigs, foxes, and poachers.
Why it matters: Australia’s freshwater habitats lose a keystone species, while conservationists and government agencies must allocate resources for a coordinated recovery plan to prevent further extinctions of the 52 spiny crayfish species.
