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Elected representatives in government are in charge of the policy and funding that can make or break saving threatened species. Their decisions and actions matter.

Richmond has or used to have 31 threatened animals within its boundaries. One of them is me, the Mitchell's Rainforest Snail.

We took care to attach appropriate images that are as close to representative of each species as our resources and the availability of images allowed. However, we could not ensure perfect accuracy in every case. Some images show species that share the same genus but not at the species or subspecies level.

Photo of Mitchell's Rainforest Snail

Mitchell's Rainforest Snail

Thersites mitchellae

Status: Critically Endangered

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) lists threatened species under six categories:
Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Conservation dependent. Read more about these categories

Thersites mitchellae has greater than 80% of its range within Richmond

Mitchell’s rainforest snail is slate grey with a yellow dorsal stripe and has a large shell with yellowish broad, brown and dark spiral bands. Endemic to north eastern NSW this species occurs on the coastal plain between the Richmond and the Tweed Rivers and adjacent mid-elevation areas including Wilson’s River and Mount Jerusalem. In 2011 a population size of only 350 to 500 individuals was reported. Mitchell’s rainforest snail is a nocturnal species and during periods of activity can be found amongst leaf litter on the forest floor, retreating during the day to shelter in cryptic microhabitats. Mitchell’s rainforest snail is a generalist feeder and fungal material contributes a high proportion of the diet. Land clearing, habitat degradation, fragmentation and disturbance are ongoing threats to this species.¹

Explore more about this species on the Atlas of Living Australia

Adverse fire regimesAdverse fire regimes

Climate change and severe weatherClimate change and severe weather

Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradationHabitat loss, fragmentation and degradation

Invasive species and diseasesInvasive species and diseases

Explore more about the threats facing species on our Resources page.

Richmond has or used to have 57 threatened plants found within its boundaries. Some of these might not be as photogenic as the Mitchell's Rainforest Snail but they're just as important.

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