Aim: After environmental disasters, species with large population losses may need urgent protection to prevent extinction and support recovery. Following the 2019-2020 Australian megafires, we estimated population losses and recovery in fire-affected fauna, to inform conservation status assessments and management.Location: Temperate and subtropical Australia. Time period: 2019-2030 and beyond.Major taxa: Australian terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates; one invertebrate group. Methods:From > 1,050 fire-affected taxa, we selected 173 whose distributions substantially overlapped the fire extent. We estimated the proportion of each taxon's distribution affected by fires, using fire severity and aquatic impact mapping, and new distribution mapping. Using expert elicitation informed by evidence of responses to previous wildfires, we estimated local population responses to fires of varying severity. We combined the spatial and elicitation data to estimate overall population loss and recovery trajectories, and thus indicate potential eligibility for listing as threatened, or uplisting, under Australian legislation. Results:We estimate that the 2019-2020 Australian megafires caused, or contributed to, population declines that make 70-82 taxa eligible for listing as threatened;

Five large (greater than 35 ha) urban bushland reserves in Greater Sydney were selected where herpetofaunal assemblages could be deduced and there were recent herpetofauna surveys. Four reserves (Rockdale Wetlands Corridor, Wolli Creek Valley, Burnt Bridge Creek Corridor and Middle Harbour Bushland Reserves) had been surrounded by residential development for more than 50 years. The fifth (University of Western Sydney, Richmond campus) was surrounded by agricultural and peri-urban development. Records from the scientific literature, local natural history groups, amateur herpetologists and council archives were used to gather historic information on the frogs and reptiles. Interviews were also conducted with researchers and neighbours of the reserves. Eight extant species were common to all reserves while another, predicted to be in all reserves, was universally absent. Despite the relatively large size of these bushland remnants, in all reserves the number of reptile and frog species had declined since urbanisation. The largest losses occurred in the four urban reserves. Seven species predicted to have occurred historically were now only present in the peri-urban site. Some herpetofaunal groups were more vulnerable than others. Goannas were locally extinct in urban reserves. Tree frogs and geckos were depleted while ground frogs and skinks were reduced to approximately half their original species numbers. This is in contrast to the peri-urban site where there had been no loss of tree frogs or goannas and generally more than half of the species in each group were extant. Urban impacts that appeared to relate to herpetofauna decline were direct human intervention that resulted in death or removal of individuals (e.g. goannas, large snakes), interference with habitat such as bush rock removal (e.g. smaller snakes, geckoes, skinks), fire (e.g. non-burrowing small residents), interference with the water cycle including infilling and pollution (e.g. frogs) and exotic predators (e.g. dragons, turtles, skinks). In general, herpetofauna with the least future prospects were those most susceptible to decline. These included the large, conspicuous fauna that required a substantial home range, attracted the attention of humans because of 'pet appeal' or due to their perceived danger; were vulnerable at some stage of the lifecycle to predation by feral species; and had specific habitat requirements for reproduction such as quality water or open sandy banks for egg incubation. Those that are small, generalist and unappealing to humans are most likely to survive. There is, therefore, little doubt that diversity in reserves will continue to dwindle unless strategies are devised to overcome the present trend. Current conservation strategies that generally target single species need to be expanded to ecosystem level to monitor threats and management implemented for their removal.

Koalas Phascolarctos cinereus are specialised, folivorous arboreal marsupials that do not go into torpor, fly, or shelter in hollows, and lack any ready means of avoiding weather extremes. This makes them valuable candidates to study impacts of climate change. This paper draws on our field study of koalas in Gunnedah in northwest New South Wales (NSW), to not only examine this proposition, but to progress to the next step of considering how we, as koala managers, can adapt our strategies to help the koala population cope with predicted climatic changes. The koala already faces a powerful set of threats, such as loss of habitat and fragmentation of what remains, disease, fire, and the impact of losses from dogs and vehicles. Climate change will compound these issues, accelerate adverse changes and demand a reappraisal of our approach to koala management. The koala is not unique in this predicament, but it is symbolic of the impact that can be expected on a wide range of species.

The common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula poses a test for managers of urban wildlife because community attitudes towards the species vary widely from those who are prepared to live with it to those who wish it to be controlled as a pest. The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service has the responsibility for protecting possums throughout the state. This raises three issues for review: 1. what is the conservation status of brushtail possums in both urban and non-urban areas of New South Wales?; 2. what is the extent, location and nature of the problem in Sydney?; and 3. how appropriate is current NPWS policy and management practice? The solution to the conundrum will require improvements to management strategies, further research and sustained education programs.

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