The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand.
[1] The system was developed because the IUCN Red List, a similar conservation status system, had some shortcomings for the unique requirements of conservation ranking in New Zealand.
As of 2011,[update] plants, animals, and fungi are evaluated, though the lattermost has yet to be published.
[2] Algae were assessed in 2005 but not reassessed since.
[2] Species that are ranked are assigned categories:[3] A series of qualifiers are used to give additional information on the threat classification:[1][3]