Current taxon status
Nationally, the Malleefowl is listed as vulnerable (Garnett 1992, ANZECC 1995, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). .... 'threatened' (endangered) in Victoria (schedule 2 of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988), ....

Habitat requirements and limiting factors.
The Malleefowl is found in semi-arid to arid shrublands and low woodlands, especially those dominated by mallee and/or acacias. A sandy substrate and abundance of leaf litter are required for breeding. Densities of the birds are generally greatest in areas of higher rainfall and on more fertile soils where habitats tend to be thicker and there is an abundance of food plants. Much of the best habitat for Malleefowl has already been cleared or has been modified by grazing by sheep, cattle, rabbits and goats. The species has been shown to be highly sensitive to grazing by sheep, and is probably similarly sensitive to grazing by other introduced herbivores. The effect of fire on Malleefowl is severe and breeding in burnt areas is usually reduced for at least 30 years. However, the deleterious effect of fire appears to be mitigated if fires burn patchily. Predation by the introduced fox is also thought to be limiting the abundance of Malleefowl and in many areas may be a major cause of decline. The degree of fragmentation of the remaining Malleefowl habitat is of particular concern and presents a major limiting factor to halting and reversing the decline of the species.
(Web Manager's emphasis)

A few paragraphs further on :-

Biodiversity benefits.
Malleefowl share their habitat with several threatened species, including the Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis, Red- lored Whistler Pachycephala rufogularis, Mallee Emu-wren Stripiturus mallee, Striated Grasswren Amytornis striatus striatus, and Western Whipbird Psophodes nigrogularis oberon and P. n. leucogaster. These and other threatened species would also benefit from management actions that secure habitat; reduce grazing pressure, fox abundance, and the extent of fires; and increase the connectivity of habitat fragments. Some of these species might also benefit from the increased community participation, and the infrastructure used to monitor Malleefowl may also be useful to monitor the abundance of other species.

RECOVERY ACTIONS
..... the highest priority objectives and actions are presented first with due regard to the severity of the threats addressed and the likely national benefits to Malleefowl conservation.
(Web Manager's emphasis)

Objective 1: Reduce permanent habitat loss

Action 1.1 Retain areas that support Malleefowl, and those that support Malleefowl habitat, and protect them from clearing.
(Web Manager's emphasis)

Justification
Clearing causes permanent loss of Malleefowl habitat and has been the major factor in the decline of Malleefowl in agricultural areas. Clearing often continues in a piecemeal fashion and is a concern in all States, especially in south-west New South Wales where substantial clearing is a possibility in the near future (Department of Land and Water Conservation 1997).

Method
Native vegetation clearance controls exist in most states (see Appendix III) and often specifically protect habitats that harbour threatened species such as Malleefowl. However, sites that are important for Malleefowl will often need to be identified before they are protected under these initiatives (see Actions 8.1 and 10.1). Important sites for the conservation of Malleefowl include areas in which the species is resident and also those areas that form dispersal corridors between populations.
(Web Manager's emphasis)