Changes in the conservation status of indigenous marine species

Marine mammals, seabirds, and shorebirds are indicator species for the state of our marine environment. A decreasing population can indicate that the ecosystem is degrading. New Zealand has a diverse range of marine species, many of which are endemic to (only breed in) New Zealand. They are apex species (near the top of the food chain) and can thrive only if their ecosystems are healthy.
This measure reports on the number of indigenous marine species that have had a genuine change in conservation status between two monitoring periods (2008–11 and 2012–14). A change in a species’ conservation status reflects a change in its risk of extinction.