This file photo dated Jan 13, 2022, provided by Australian National University shows the regent honeyeaters, one of the most endangered birds in Australia. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

CANBERRA — An expert panel has warned the Australian government that five native species are facing immediate threats of extinction.

In letters to Tanya Plibersek, minister for the environment and water, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) said it has "particular concern" for four plant species and the Maugean skate -- a critically endangered fish found only off the coast of Tasmania.

"Plants and animals that make this land unique are being pushed towards extinction at a truly alarming pace," said the nature campaigner

The loss of any of the five species would represent a failure of the federal government's commitment to halting Australia's extinction crisis.

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The letters, which were tabled at a Senate inquiry, identified a further 41 species the TSSC believes are on course to be listed as critically endangered, sparking concerns over the rate at which species are being added to the urgent list.

Helene Marsh, chair of the committee, said in a letter from June that the anticipated growth of the critically endangered list "demonstrates the very serious and increasing extinction risks to Australia's biota."

Of the 41 species, some were affected by the devastating 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires.

"This correspondence between the environment minister and the threatened species scientific committee makes one thing clear: nature in Australia is in big trouble," Peta Bulling from the Australian Conservation Foundation was quoted by the Guardian Australia on Thursday.

"Plants and animals that make this land unique are being pushed towards extinction at a truly alarming pace," said the nature campaigner.

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"Of the 41 species identified by the committee, the majority have never even been listed as threatened under our national environment laws, yet here they are making their first appearance in the code-red category of critically endangered," Bulling added.