In the Central West Catchment Management Area of New South Wales (Australia) there are 59 ``small population'' species and 42 ``declining population'' species. The average cost3 for recovery in the small population group is about AU$420,000 per species.4 The average cost for recovery inthe declining population group is about AU$6.5 million per species.5 Briggs therefore argues that attention should be first directed toward protection of ``small pouplation'' species.