Wildlife

Sarah Herrmann. if it goes on for another month, I don't know that we'll still be in business." That's the sentiment of Stansbury oyster farmer Steve Bowley. Mr Bowley's farm, Pacific Estate Oysters, is one of several in the area closed due to the level of brevetoxin present.

We’re excited to announce the release of the 2024 Animal Health in Australia (AHiA) Annual Report — your annual summary of key achievements, disease investigations, surveillance activities and updates to policies and programs in Australia’s animal health system.

Among all the animals Pam and Peter Rollinson might have expected to find back on the farm after a recent visit to Bali, a wombat was a very long way down the list ... a very parched wombat had had its thirst assuaged when Peter turned on the garden hose.

Last November, a weak and injured Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) was found near the jetty by young Lord Howe Island residents ... The turtle was given the name Howeana ... Howeana was flown back to the Island in April, and taken to Old Settlement Beach for release in to sheltered seagrass meadows.

A new avian influenza collaboration between CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and Indonesia has gained international recognition in Paris overnight, with endorsement from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) ... The three-year initiative, called BICOLLAB, was formally endorsed at the World Assembly of Delegates during WOAH’s General Session...

Aerial shark patrols along the state’s coastline will be extended until the June long weekend, following unseasonably warm weather and an increase in shark sightings at popular beaches. This patrol season – which was brought forward to early November and will run until Monday 9 June – is the longest recorded in South Australia.

Did you know that at least 100 different species of birds have been identified within the Allora Mountain Flora and Fauna Reserve? The Allora Landcare Group … is pleased to invite members of the community to join a bird watching morning on Sunday the 18th of May, commencing at 8am.

Not all white-tailed black cockatoos are the same. The region is a breeding stronghold for both white-tailed black cockatoo species, especially Baudin's black cockatoo, which is a forest-dwelling species that nests high in karri and marri trees.

Get ready to dive into the excitement – the Australian Giant Cuttlefish will arrive soon in the coastal waters near Stony Point, marking the start of Whyalla’s much-loved Cuttlefest 2025 celebrations! Running from June through July, the season features an exciting line-up of family-friendly, adventurous, and creative events taking place across the city.

Sarah Martin. A project documenting Barkandji knowledge of the Baaka river and floodplains has been ongoing for about 6 months. It has included a large oral history project which collected knowledge from Barkandji and kin about fish traps, fishing, the floodplains, and how they have changed so much over the last few decades.

Sarah Herrmann. Oyster farms in Stansbury have been forced to close while authorities investigate whether food safety is at risk from brevetoxins produced by the microalgae Karenia. At least six farms were closed from Monday, May 5, as a precaution under the Primary Produce (Food Safety Schemes) (Seafood) Regulations 2017.

Michelle Daw. A woman who was struck by an eagle ray's venomous barb says she is lucky to be alive. Retired nurse Pam Bennett was pierced by the barb in her right arm while snorkelling in waist-deep water ... She said the ray's attack was unusual behaviour and would have resulted from it being in pain, because of the algal bloom.

Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek in a recent article explains the Prague connection: “We joined the effort to save Lord Howe Island stick insect years ago, when we started to support financially the genetical research ... and also on the Ball’s Pyramid the stick insects hover on the edge of survival.

Sarah Herrmann. Shark sightings close to the shores of numerous South Australian beaches have prompted the SA Government to extend aerial shark patrols — but Yorke Peninsula is not included ... Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA told the YP Country Times on April 24 it was aware of community concerns about sightings across the state, including on YP.

BirdLife Australia. BirdLife Australia, in partnership with the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Recovery Team, is calling for volunteers to join the annual count of the endangered South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo on Saturday, May 3 ... Volunteers will be assigned one of approximately 60 survey sites in the cockatoo’s range ...

Prescribed burning in the Mount Lofty Ranges to reduce bushfire risks may be threatening the survival and biodiversity of skinks and other reptiles. That’s the finding from a new University of South Australia (UniSA) study that analysed the health of more than 1750 reptiles from eight species over a two-year period.

The Darling Downs Zoo located at Pilton has been attracting attention from all over thanks to its bilby breeding program and the birth of a Capybara. Easter is of course the time for the bilby, Australia's version of the Easter Bunny, to shine.

Sarah Herrmann. Southern Yorke Peninsula residents have criticised the speed at which advice was provided to the public about the toxic microalgae bloom, which has been detected at Edithburgh and Coobowie, and caused dead marine life to wash up on numerous other SYP beaches.

The Australian alternative Easter emblem, the bilby, is iconic but at risk. Bilbies once occupied much of arid and semi-arid Australia but have disappeared from about three quarters of their historic range.

Michelle Daw. An algae toxic to marine life has been detected in water samples collected from Edithburgh and Coobowie ... The PIRSA spokesperson said the algae could cause mass deaths of marine life and particularly affect the gills of fish. "This is a dynamic situation as the bloom travels depending on weather and water conditions, and the impact therefore is unpredictable."

Dr Lachlan McCaw AFSM. Federal environmental approval recently granted for expansion of the South 32 Worsley bauxite mine has given the green light to clearing of a further 3855 hectares of native forest around Boddington south-east of Perth ... the community should question how much bauxite mining is enough, and whether closure of the native forest timber industry is simply a convenient smokescreen for increased mining in the jarrah forest.