Wildlife

Environment Minister Leanne Linard has announced 54,000 hectares of greater glider habitat in South East Queensland state forest will be transitioned to a new natural capital tenure ... Of the 54,000 hectares, 7,500 hectares are set to be placed into Natural Capital Reserve as a potential strategic advance offset for the critical Borumba Pumped Hydro project.

What do you get when you take a Fireback Huntsman home for research and photograph it in your bathroom? And not just any bathroom... Lego bathroom? And why? TEDx speaker, author and wildlife educator Steven Gill says "Let Me Explain..." with his new Australian east coast tour!

Suzie Christensen. Access to the Mt Eliza track is closed annually between 1 September until early March to protect nesting sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscata) and their young. The trail and summit provide important breeding grounds for the seabirds.

Spring has Sprung! Fairy Wren Day has been a Spring event for the past 5 years. Those interested in small bird habitat and garden lovers are invited to Boatharbour on a Sunday 8 September for Fairy Wren Day. With the numbers of attendees building each year, it was decided to share more gardens in our area.

Around 5,000 or so grey-headed flying foxes, often called fruit bats, currently have two main camps - one near Naracoorte and the other around Mount Burr. The flying foxes can carry the deadly Lyssavirus and Hendra virus - anyone scratched or bitten must seek urgent medical attention. Even dead bats are considered too dangerous to touch…

Rockhampton Zoo has expanded its family with the arrival of two Green Wing Macaws, Poppy and Dahlia. The vibrant new additions have joined the Zoo’s resident Blue and Gold Wing Macaws. Councillor for Parks, Sports, and Public Spaces Cherie Rutherford said the duo, originally from Perth, are settling into their new home well.

An insect species that evolved 130 million years ago is the inspiration for a  new research study  to improve navigation systems in drones, robots, and orbiting satellites. The dung beetle is the first known species to use the Milky Way at night to navigate, focusing on the constellation of stars as a reference point to roll balls of dung in a straight line away from their competitors.

Education and community awareness, removal of problem animals and exclusion areas are significantly more effective in reducing saltwater crocodile attacks in the Northern Territory than a widespread culling program to reduce crocodile numbers, according to a new study. The study outlined why culling the reptiles to reduce density was not a cost-effective, or efficient solution, in reducing crocodile attacks.  

State Member for Hill, Shane Knuth ... introduced the KAP’s Crocodile Control, Conservation, and Safety Bill 2024 into Parliament, taking a no-nonsense stand against the escalating crocodile threat in North Queensland. The Bill is a response to constant calls from North Queensland communities and places a premium on human life by implementing aggressive measures to mitigate the risks to human life posed by the increasing crocodile population.

Working on the land, Moulamein farmer Nick McKindlay found farming gave him a great opportunity to explore his passion for birds. "As a farmer, I spend most of the workday outdoors, and my passion for birds has naturally woven itself into my daily activities," said Nick.

A rare Coastal Emu nest, containing nine eggs, has been discovered by Forestry Corporation staff in a State forest on the North Coast, giving hope to the future of the endangered population. The discovery near Grafton was made by Forestry Corporation Lead Forestry Officer Kurt Holzhauser during a broad area habitat search for threatened and endangered species.

In view of the Australian Koala Foundation's march in Canberra planned for 1 September 2024, and its advocacy for a federal "Koala Protection Act", Australian Rural & Regional News felt it timely to ask some questions on koala matters and maybe even start up a useful, and very probably robust discussion ... ARR.News approached Dr Brad Law, Vic Jurskis and then Deborah Tabart OAM and the AKF for their response to questions ...

Australia's national science agency CSIRO is calling on all Aussies to record koala sightings in the Koala Spotter all, to help build the most accurate national population count to date ... The latest koala national population estimate according to NKMP is between 224,000 and 524,000. The next estimate is due in March 2025.

Laboratory-based study confirms bacteriophages can suppress the growth of rattles-causing bacteria in soil. A ground-breaking project led by Dr Gary Muscatello at The University of Sydney has paved the way for a novel potential management strategy to combat Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals, commonly known as ‘rattles’.

A special event is set to celebrate the Sunshine Coast’s magnificent ocean and coastline like never before. If you are a thalassophile – a lover of the ocean – then get ready to take part in the inaugural Sunshine Coast Marine Bioblitz...

It’s part of the deal for most people living in a small regional town; lots of time spent on the road between places. This means that what happens on the roads attracts a lot of attention ... And lately it seems that what happens on the road is: animals, lots of different animals.

An operation to remove an estimated 20 tonne whale carcass from Greys Beach was successfully completed ... City of Greater Geraldton CEO Ross McKim said it was the most difficult removal the City has undertaken in more than a decade.

Whales have been dropping into Yorke Peninsula waters in the past month seemingly unbeknown to authorities. There have been no reports to the state’s dedicated whale-watch page of the huge mammals in the YP region so far this whale season — which starts in May and goes to October — despite at least two confirmed sightings locally.  

An additional 80 Murray crayfish have been released into the River Murray as part of an ongoing project to re-establish this iconic species in South Australia. The crayfish were released into the river at a secret location to protect the community in its infancy.

A shark advice has been issued due to a whale carcass on the beach just south of the Sovereign Park foreshore access. On July 20 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said the whale carcass – at WN42 Sovereign Park BEN sign – had been reported by a member of the public.