29 August
2006 - The Australian Government will invest $3.2
million to ensure the future of the Orange-bellied
Parrot, the Australian Minister for the Environment
and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, announced
today.
This historic investment is
the largest Australian Government investment in
a threatened species, equating to $1.6 million
per annum for the next two years.
"The Orange-bellied Parrot
is considered to be one of the world's rarest
and most endangered animals, with only about 50
breeding pairs known to exist, which puts it in
the same position as other iconic species such
as the Giant Panda and Siberian Tiger," Senator
Campbell said.
"Very substantially increased
Australian Government support will increase important
work protecting, enhancing and expanding key habitat
across the parrot's range," Senator Campbell
said.
The new funding from the Australian
Government's Natural Heritage Trust will increase
the parrot's chances for recovery by protecting
and expanding habitat in all the areas the parrot
uses during the year, through:
• working with landholders in
the parrot's Victorian and South Australian winter
base;
• conserving breeding/nesting habitat at Melaleuca
and Birch's Inlet in the Tasmanian South-west
World Heritage Area;
• improving important migratory habitat and controlling
predators in North-west Tasmania and on King Island;
and
• working with the Department of Defence to conserve
and manage key Orange-bellied Parrot habitat in
Defence properties in the Port Phillip Bay area.
This funding will build on the
$1 million already spent by the Australian Government
since 1989 to conserve the Orange-bellied Parrot
and habitat vital to its successful migration
and breeding. A further $5.5 million has been
spent on regional biodiversity conservation across
the species' range.
The Orange-bellied Parrot faces
a number of major threats, including habitat loss
and modification, predators, mortality caused
by collision with structures and catastrophes
such as storms.
Twice a year this small parrot
traverses its own incredible journey in a hazardous
migration across Bass Strait between its Tasmania
breeding areas and wintering habitat on the Australian
mainland in coastal Victoria and South Australia.
In February-March, the birds
leave south-west Tasmania and head north, taking
up to two months to complete the journey to the
mainland. They then disperse widely across coastal
wetlands and grasslands from as far east as the
Gippsland Lakes in Victoria to the Coorong in
South Australia, and occasionally as far as far
Port Augusta.
They return in September-October
to breed on the button grass plains of the World
Heritage listed wilderness area of south west
Tasmania.
"One of only a very small
number of migratory parrots in the world, this
bird is a real battler. Every year it undertakes
the ornithological equivalent of the Sydney to
Hobart Yacht race — it's every Australian's responsibility
to help this bird survive for future generations,"
Senator Campbell said.
Captive breeding of the parrot
provides a valuable insurance policy for the species
and has provided valuable information to assist
its conservation. It is clear that after almost
ten years of releasing captive breed animals the
population is not increasing.
"It is clear that that
the future of this bird depends on us doing much
more to protect its habitat," Senator Campbell
said.
"Captive breeding continues
to provide insurance against catastrophe, but
safe habitat that is free of threat is the key
to the survival and recovery of the Orange-bellied
Parrot."
"I would hate to think
that my grand children might only be able to see
and appreciate this animal in a Zoo," he
said.
A breakdown of works to be supported
with these Australian Government funds is attached.
Information about Australia's threatened species
and ecological communities is available from the
Department's web site at: www.deh.gov.au/sprat
Works to be supported with these Australian Government
Funds
Four elements of work will focus
on practical action and outcomes that protect,
rehabilitate and expand breeding and wintering
habitat and migratory habitat/roosts in Tasmania,
Victoria and South Australia. The work will include
action on habitat and food competition and the
control of predators in key areas like King Island.
The advice and input of the Orange-bellied Parrot
Recovery Team will be sought.
A. Breeding Areas: Expand investment in improving
breeding/nesting habitat at Melaleuca and Birch's
Inlet in the South West World Heritage Area of
Tasmania. The Tasmanian Government will be an
important partner in this element.
B. Migratory Areas: Expand investment
in migratory habitat protection and improvement
in Tasmania and King Island, including predator
control in key migratory habitats on King Island
such as Lavinia Nature Reserve at Sea Elephant,
King Island.
The Tasmanian Government and the King Island community
will be an important partner in element.
C. Winter Habitat: New investment
to create new, and improve the quality of existing,
wintering habitat on private land and wetlands
throughout the wintering range in Victoria and
South Australia. There is potential for expansion
and enhanced management of habitat on private
land immediately adjacent to existing important
habitats throughout the winter range. Possible
locations include Swan Bay (Queenscliff, Victoria);
Lake Connewarre (Barwon Heads, Victoria); Andersons
Inlet (Inverloch, Victoria); and the Coorong and
Lake Alexandrina (South Australia).
A partnership with non-government organisations
and private landholders would be sought to deliver
this element. Non government conservation organisations
may also be able to attract and inject privately
raised philanthropic funds to boost the work.
D. Commonwealth Lands: Potential
new investment to enhance and expand habitat on
key Australian Government lands in the winter
range of the species. For example some of the
internationally significant wetlands in the Port
Phillip area that provide habitat for the bird.
This would be carried out in partnership with
relevant Government land managers, eg. the Department
of Defence.
