ID: 81322
Orcaella heinsohni
Australian Snubfin Dolphin
Mammal
Taxonomy and naming
| Current scientific name | Orcaella heinsohni [81322] |
| Common name | Australian Snubfin Dolphin |
| Other names | Orcaella brevirostris [45] |
| Species author | Beasley, Robertson and Arnold, 2005 |
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Mammalia
- Order Cetacea
- Family Delphinidae
EPBC legal status and documents
EPBC listing status
Listed as Vulnerable as Orcaella heinsohni (Date effective 05-Mar-2025).
Listed Migratory - EPBC Act as Orcaella heinsohni, Bonn as Orcaella heinsohni.
Cetacean as Orcaella heinsohni.
Conservation planning documents
- Conservation advice: includes a statement about why the threatened species or ecological community is eligible to be listed under the EPBC Act, the main factors that are the cause of it being eligible for listing, as well as information about what can be done to stop its decline and support its recovery.
- Recovery plan: includes a description of the threats to the listed threatened species or ecological community as well as actions needed to stop its decline and support its recovery. The Minister decides whether a threatened species or ecological community would benefit from the preparation of a recovery plan (in addition to existing Conservation Advice) drawing on advice from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee.
- Protection statement: includes information about what must be protected to ensure the survival and recovery of the listed threatened species or ecological community in the wild. Protection statements are optional and the Minister for the Environment determines whether a protection statement is prepared for a listed threatened species or ecological community.
- Threat abatement plan: includes information on research, management and other actions needed to reduce impacts of key threatening processes listed under the EPBC Act.
- Wildlife conservation plan: includes information on measures required to protect species that are listed as migratory or marine under the EPBC Act.
- Marine bioregional plan: includes information on key ecological features in the Commonwealth Marine Area as well as measures to protect marine species and habitats.
| Conservation advice | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (2025). Conservation Advice for Orcaella heinsohni (Australian snubfin dolphin). Canberra: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. In effect under the EPBC Act from 5 Mar 2025. | 2025 | |
| Recovery plans | There is no adopted or made Recovery Plan for this species. | ||
| Recovery plan decision Recovery Plan not required, an approved Conservation Advice is an effective, efficient and responsive document to guide the implementation of priority management actions, mitigate key threats and support recovery of this EPBC Act listed Vulnerable species. An approved Conservation Advice supports recovery of the species by identifying priority actions, recovery partners for engagement, and survey and research priorities to facilitate a better understanding of population parameters, key threats, and the ecology of the species. Threats facing the species, and the recovery actions needed can effectively be guided via an approved Conservation Advice (13/02/2025). |
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| Threat abatement plans | No Threat Abatement Plan has been identified as being relevant for this species. | ||
| Marine bioregional plans | Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2012). Marine bioregional plan for the North-west Marine Region. Canberra: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. In effect under the EPBC Act from 27 Aug 2012. | 2012 | |
| Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2012). Marine bioregional plan for the North Marine Region. Canberra: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. In effect under the EPBC Act from 27 Aug 2012. | 2012 |
Other Commonwealth documents
| Listing advice | Listing assessment information may be available in the approved Conservation Advice. | ||
| Federal register of legislation | List of Threatened Species Amendment (414) Instrument 2025 (Commonwealth of Australia, 2025). |
Threatened
|
2025 |
| List of Migratory Species Amendment (Orcaella Species Name Update) Instrument 2018 (Commonwealth of Australia, 2018). |
Migratory (name change)
|
2018 | |
| List of Migratory Species (13/07/2000) (Commonwealth of Australia, 2000). |
Migratory
|
2000 | |
| Policy statements and guidelines | Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2017 (Department of the Environment and Energy, 2017). | 2017 | |
| National Guidelines for the Survey of Cetaceans, Marine Turtles and the Dugong (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, 2024). | 2024 |
Status on other lists
State listing
WA
Listed as Vulnerable (Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (Western Australia): July 2026 list)
QLD
Listed as Vulnerable (Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020 (Queensland): May 2026 list)
Non-statutory listing
NGO
Listed as Near Threatened (The action plan for Australian mammals 2012)
IUCN
Listed as Vulnerable (Global Status: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: 2026.1 list)
Non-government documents and websites
There are no available non-government documents or websites.
Distribution
This distribution is part of the Species of National Environmental Significance dataset. Distributions are indicative and represent modelled habitat based on best available data at the time of mapping.
Superseded Commonwealth documents
Non-current Commonwealth documents
Caveat
SPRAT provides statutory information on threatened species and ecological communities, migratory species, marine species, and species and species products subject to international trade and commercial use protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act). While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of information linked from external sources, the Commonwealth does not guarantee, and accepts no responsibility for, the accuracy, currency or completeness of this information. The Commonwealth is not liable for any loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from the use of, or reliance on, information contained in this database. The information is not intended to be a complete source of information on the matters it covers. Individuals and organisations should consider all available information, including information from other sources, when determining whether a referral, permit application or exemption under the EPBC Act may be required.