Wildlife

Australia to Rescue Vanishing Animals, Birds

he Australian government has set new targets to protect and recover threatened mammals, birds and plants, and improve recovery practices under the nation’s first Threatened Species Strategy.

There is a lot that can be done, from limiting the impacts of feral cats and creating safe havens to improving habitat and intervening in emergencies. But no one can do it alone, so today’s summit brings together the people, organizations and know-how to drive change.

The first 10 mammals identified for priority action are: the numbat, mala, mountain pygmy-possum, greater bilby, golden bandicoot, brush-tailed rabbit-rat, eastern bettong, western quoll, Kangaroo Island dunnart and eastern barred bandicoot.

Two more – the leadbeater’s possum and central rock-rat – will benefit from emergency interventions.

The first 10 birds identified for priority action are: the helmeted honeyeater, hooded plover, eastern bristlebird, regent honeyeater, mallee emu-wren, plains-wanderer, night parrot, Alligator Rivers yellow chat, and Norfolk Island’s green parrot and boobook owl.

Two more – the orange-bellied parrot and western ground parrot – will benefit from emergency interventions.

The remaining eight species of mammals and eight species of birds will be identified over the next 12 months, in consultation with the community, said Hunt.

Part of the strategy is to cull domestic cats gone wild because they attack native birds and mammals. Since their arrival in Australia, feral cats have contributed to the extinction of at least 27 mammal species.