Wildlife

We Australians pride ourselves on our native animals. Koalas, kangaroos, wombats, deadly snakes, platypuses (platypi?), drop bears, emus … just some of the animals that have spent millions of years evolving separately from the rest of the world’s fauna on this island nation of ours. But most of us probably don’t think too much about them during our day-to-day lives. Alistair Paton’s “Of Marsupials and Men” puts a spotlight on men (and the occasional woman) who made Australia’s wildlife the centre of their lives.

VicForests has been given a green light to log areas of Greater Glider habitat in Victoria’s Central Highlands, the Supreme Court has ruled ... Three parcels of forest known to be home to the endangered glider will be opened for logging despite VicForests confirming that they have not surveyed the areas ... ARR.News asked some questions of Kinglake Friends of the Forest.

Last week’s meeting of The Southern Downs Regional Council was told that Black, Little Red and Grey-headed Flying-Foxes are native species that are seasonal visitors to the Southern Downs. The animals typically arrive in the Southern Downs in spring, occupying three roost sites until the onset of cooler weather in late autumn/early winter.

Critically endangered smoky mice have been released back into the wild in South East Forest National Park, in a world first for the species ... “To the untrained eye, these tiny mice might look quite common, but there are fewer than 100 smoky mice left in the South East Forest, which is one of only two known populations in NSW,”: Minister for Environment James Griffin

It took a recent Freedom of Information request for documents to be released from the EPA stating that dangerous lead levels in wild ducks have been found in tests at four of 23 Victorian shooting waterways across Victoria. The documents were obtained by a not-for-profit group called Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting.

National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS). World Ranger Day was commemorated on Sunday the 31st of July – a day to acknowledge the work rangers do to protect our planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage ... Meriam man and Senior Ranger Aaron Bon spoke to NIRS News, and said the training helped rangers identify, rescue, and treat wildlife impacted by oil spills.

Another 400 hectares has been secured to protect koalas in the Coomera Connector corridor. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Greenridge property at Pimpama, within the Gold Coast's Koala Priority Area, is one of the largest private, and suitable, land holdings close to stage one and future stages ... “The additional 400 hectares is next to the PRCA, creating almost 900 hectares to protect the local koala population and improve their home range and connectivity well into the future.”: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

Samuel Davis. Cape York rangers have narrowly escaped the deadly claws of an angry cassowary – and walked away with footage to prove it. Several Wuthathi Land and Sea custodians were inspecting an overgrown track near Shelburne Bay recently when they came into contact with the angry bird.

Ian Hutton. As Curator of the museum, I get a lot of requests via email ... However, in May of this year, I received a most unusual email. A journalist from New Zealand contacted me asking if I considered the photo of a stuffed white bird seen in an antique shop there was the long-extinct flightless White gallinule of Lord Howe Island.

Turtles are a key environmental value and attraction for both tourists and residents in the Lord Howe Island Marine Park ... Given marine turtles are valuable and threatened species, understanding both local and global threats to their populations is important. Injured and dead turtles are occasionally seen in the LHIMP and these observations can help identify which threats are having the greatest impact on turtles in the marine park.

The Crocodile Management Independent Expert Evaluation Committee – chaired by Queensland’s Chief Scientist, Professor Hugh Possingham – made 22 recommendations for improving estuarine crocodile management in Queensland ... The department has accepted each of the committee’s recommendations, with several recommendations already being implemented.

A delicate overnight operation recently saw 17 Eastern Bristlebirds successfully translocated from Booderee National Park and Jervis Bay National Park in south-eastern New South Wales to the most southern tip of Australia’s mainland - Wilson’s Promontory National Park in Victoria. The Eastern Bristlebird’s population stronghold in New South Wales was used as a launchpad for establishing Victoria’s second population at Wilsons Promontory.

Kate Foran. It is such a privilege working in the vet industry! You get the chance to get up close with so many gorgeous creatures; mostly companion pets, but occasionally with some of the spectacular wildlife that lives in our Barkly region as well. This week was extra special, we received a visit from a stunning reptile! A local ranger brought in a juvenile Spencer’s Goanna to us.

Narrandera's iconic koalas are at the forefront of an exciting research project to assess the population, health and genetics of the free-ranging colony. The project, led by National Parks and Wildlife Service, swung into action last month when a six-member team of specialist veterinarians, NPWS staff and a professional tree climber arrived in town to undertake field work.

The latest State of the Environment Report paints a dire picture for the ongoing survival of Australia’s threatened species under ever increasing pressure from feral animals and weeds ... “Invasive species are the common denominator: foxes and feral cats fuelled by rabbits are the major driver of mammal extinctions while foreign plants are a source of major weed problems impacting landscapes throughout Australia. :Andreas Glanznig, Chief Executive of the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions.

Making more out of the recent wet conditions and strengthening the resilience of the Murray–Darling Basin's ecosystems is the focus of this year's Annual Basin Environmental Watering Priorities ... MDBA's General Manager of Applied Science, Dr Matt Coleman said with more water in rivers and storages now was the time to capitalise on the fantastic fish and bird breeding events that have occurred and set our plants and animals up for even greater success.

A team of researchers have come across a female cassowary in a remote section of northern Cape York, making it only the second confirmed sighting of its species in the area in four years. The encounter happened on the first day of a six-day survey that was being conducted by Ipima Ikaya Country Traditional Owners and consultant Wren McLean, facilitated by Cape York NRM.

The highest rainfall in a decade has turned the red earth of Central Australia into a spectacular carpet of green vegetation ... With recent drier and hotter than average autumn days, the grasses are haying off quickly, increasing the fire risk with heavy fuel loads across the landscape. Bushfires NT (BFNT) and Parks and Wildlife have been hard at work with NTFRS, DIPL, Alice Springs Town Council and other landholders jointly planning fire mitigation strategies both within Alice Springs municipality and across the region.

A three-month search for the elusive glossy black cockatoo led to this photo. The splendour of the red panels on the tail of the male glossy black cockatoo can be clearly seen. It was a photo ecologists feared might never be taken after searching for the rare birds for almost three months in the Northern Rivers without success.

Of Marsupials and Men recounts the fascinating and often hilarious history of the men and women who dedicated their lives to understanding Australia’s native animals.

Patricia Gill. A bird sanctuary will be established north of a temporary fence in Wilson Inlet ... The sanctuary comes into effect on July 14 and is important to protect migratory shore birds ... Microlight pilot Milly Formby from Newcastle, NSW, is circumnavigating Australia to advocate for shorebirds that migrate to Australia from the Siberian Arctic.