It is a day to commemorate the almost 2000 Australian plant and animal species that are listed as ‘threatened’.

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Almost 90 years after the loss of the Thylacine, Australia now has one of the worst extinction rates on earth.

The Department of Environment lists over 100 threatened species observed in the Port Stephens region.

These include the koala, the powerful owl, yellow-bellied glider, spotted-tailed quoll, grey-headed flying fox, glossy black-cockatoo, white-bellied sea eagle, and beach stone-curlew.

Also high on the list of species under threat in Port Stephens and the Myall Coast is the endangered southern greater glider.

Like the koala, this large gliding marsupial eats eucalyptus leaves.

Southern greater gliders, native to the forests of southeastern Australia, need large tree hollows for shelter.

Each glider uses multiple hollows.

They can glide up to 100 metres between trees using a membrane between the fore and hind legs.

Habitat loss is a key contributor to the destruction of the species.

A lesser known endangered species that can be found in Port Stephens is the giant dragonfly; the third largest dragonfly in Australia and one of the largest in the world.

Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington highlighted the importance of awareness of the region’s threatened species.

“Right here in Port Stephens we have some very special little creatures that live with us and we want to keep them all healthy and happy,” she said.

By Marian SAMPSON