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Recently, the health of coconut palms has come under severe threat. The Pacific Community (SPC), working with Pacific Island countries and territories, and development partners, is looking for ways to meet this threat before it devastates the hopes of economic progress in the region. In August of 2017 an alert was issued identifying a new danger to the Pacific, which is causing devastation to coconut palms and expanding rapidly across the region. The new threat comes from a longstanding adversary in the region: the rhinoceros beetle.

In May 2022, an outbreak of FMD was reported in cattle in Indonesia and has since spread to Bali. An incursion of the virus would have severe consequences for Australia’s animal health and trade. The emergence and rapid spread of FMD in Indonesia has changed the risk profile for passengers and goods arriving in Australia. As result Australia has strengthened its border activities and new measures were immediately imposed to help prevent an incursion.

See also: Aquatic Animal Diseases Significant to Australia: Identification Field Guide, 5th Edition

See also: Aquatic Animal Diseases Significant to Australia: Identification Field Guide, 5th Edition

The 2021 independent State of Environment Report has highlighted that invasive species are identified as the most prevalent threat to Australian wildlife and are the primary cause of extinction events. The report warns of the compounding and devastating impact of multiple threats to Australia’s environment.

A new report, Fighting Plagues and Predators: Australia’s Path to a Pest and Weed-Free Future [PDF,  12 MB], reveals the environment is facing a "sliding doors" moment, with two possible futures for Australia, depending on the decisions made today. It highlights a looming wave of new extinctions and outlines two futures for Australia, one based on an unsustainable ‘business as usual’ approach and the other based on implementing targeted actions that will help save our unique biodiversity. The report pegs the conservative cost of damage caused by invasive species in Australia – predominantly weeds, feral cats, rabbits and fire ants – at $390 billion over the past six decades and around $25 billion each year and growing.

This resource is to assist Pacific island invasive species practitioners in their battle against invasive species. It includes the Pacific Invasive Species Battler Series on common Pacific topical issues and an option to see what new resources have been added lately. You can also search for documents, case-studies, reports and other media by selecting the appropriate "Guidelines" theme or objective, or use the general search function by selecting tags related to the resources.

Invasive species pose a threat across the United States and its territories, but they can be especially challenging for the U.S. South Pacific territory of American Samoa. Among the invasive pests menacing the territory are several non-native fire ant species. 

We need your help to keep watch for the brown marmorated stink bug. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an agricultural, horticultural, and social pest. It's native to Asia and has spread throughout North America and Europe. It isn’t established in New Zealand, but this sneaky pest hitchhikes on passengers and imported goods. We’ve caught them at our border many times. We need everyone’s help to keep an eye out for them.

If you think you’ve found a brown marmorated stink bug – don't kill it.

• Catch it.
• Take a photo
• Call us immediately on 0800 80 99 66.

See also: Case Studies for more resources

See also: Case Studies for more resources

On 20 November 2006 the Biological Diversity Advisory Committee (BDAC), whose role it was to advise the then Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage, held a one day workshop in Canberra on climate change and invasive species’ impacts on biodiversity. The various sections in this report are based upon topics discussed on the day, but they incorporate many additional findings drawn from recent research.