PAWS
Newsletter for Parks and Wildlife Supporters
Issue 13 Summer 2006/7 - Text only version

TALKING PAWS

Dear Parks and Wildlife Supporter,

For four years PAWS has brought you news from Foundation projects that help protect our native bushland, cultural heritage and our threatened plants and animals.

The animals featured in past editions are the lucky ones that, thanks to your donations, have received some help to fight the threats of extinction.

They are, however, the lucky few, and there are many more species in need on our files.

In this issue we showcase some of the animals that have so far missed out due to lack of resources.

The threats are the same in all cases – habitat loss and feral pests. The magnificently coloured Broad-headed Snake, for example, is endangered because it is highly specialised for bushrock habitats. With bushrock being collected for ornamental gardens and the snakes themselves being illegally taken for reptile collections, this species is struggling to survive.

As much as we would love to fund recovery actions for these animals immediately, our means are limited, and these species more than ever rely on your donations to get a second chance in the battle against extinction.

When the environment changes nature usually finds a way for its species to adapt. This process however takes time, and as man accelerates environmental change at a breakneck speed, it is up to all of us to buy some time for our wildlife to keep up.

It is not too late but the need for recovery actions is urgent and we must not ignore it. If you can help us give our native species a chance, please send us your donation by cheque, online or simply give us a call and we will direct 100% of your donation to the wildlife emergency fund to go towards the species featured in this newsletter.

A heartfelt thank you from all of us at the Foundation,

Leonie Gale

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In this issue

Micro bats dependent on forest giants
Connie Woolston

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife is urgently seeking funds to study the impact of logging on native wildlife following the next round of logging in the South East Forests in 2008.

The past two decades have seen great changes to logging practices in Australia, and
While modern day prescriptions are more sympathetic to wildlife, there is still concern for the impact of logging on the habitat of many forest-dwelling animals.

The South East Forests of NSW have been at the centre of a long-standing debate between forestry and conservationists, with the Foundation funding research into the matter to gather the facts for the development of more sustainable practices.

To monitor the success of the new logging prescriptions, studies should be undertaken immediately after logging and build on previous surveys.

For over twenty years scientists from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) have studied the impact of logging on forest-dwelling bats. Two protected species, Gould’s long-eared bat – Nyctophilus gouldi and the Little forest bat – Vespadelus vulturnus were the focus of this study in the Mumbulla State Forest near Bega.

The outcome of this important research reveals that specific logging prescriptions are required to ensure the survival of these forest-dwelling bats. This is due to the bats’ highly selective criteria for roosting sites; preferring the complex characteristics of old, large growth trees (many of them hundreds of years old) with open cavities and decaying matter, to the twenty-five year old eucalypt regrowth in the same area.

Scientists go where bats go
Starting in 1983 members of the Biodiversity Conservation Science Section of the DEC headed by Dan Lunney, glued radio transmitters onto the back of the small Gould’s long-eared bats. This study was a first; successfully undertaking a previously impossible task of investigating roosting and foraging habits of bats. Now twenty-three years on giant advances in technology have enabled the group to fit transmitters weighing less than five hundred milligrams, onto Little forest bats. Quite an achievement; at four and a half grams these little critters are one of the smallest bats in the world!

Size and age do matter
As part of the research, tree characteristics (age, size, type, condition, presence of hollows, loose bark) and environmental elements (aspect, topography, logging history) from roosting sites were compared with the range of trees present in the study area.

In the 1980s Gould’s long-eared bats showed clear preferences in tree selection for roosts. The study was recently repeated to determine any consistencies in roosting behaviour, and to see if the bats’ selection criteria had expanded to include the regrowth.

The comparison of this repeated study and the first study of the Little forest bats have shown that:
• Both species are highly selective, preferring large trees (50cm diameter minimum) with hollows located on south or east facing slopes.
• Maternity roosts, occupied by female Gould’s long-eared bats and their young, are similar to many chosen by males. However, the males were found to also roost under dead wattle bark.
• The Little forest bats prefer dead Stringybark trees, while Gould’s long-eared bats prefer live trees of species other than Stringybark.

While the roosting preferences of bats are complex, varying from species and sex, their dependence on cavities in dead and decaying large growth trees is consistent. No evidence to date has been found of tree dependent bats, roosting in eucalypt regrowth.

Tuning commercialism towards nature
Although forest management practices have improved and are more sympathetic to wildlife, the outcomes of this study show further improvement is required to conserve forest-dwelling bat habitat. It is also clear a better understanding of the highly specific habitat requirements of forest bats is needed.

To monitor the success of the new logging prescriptions, studies should be undertaken immediately after the next round of logging in 2008. It is important the study repeat the work of the Gould’s long-eared and Little forest bat and include other species of micro-chiropteran bats (of which there are sixteen in the study area). The impact of fire, drought and climate change also needs to be considered.

This study of forest-dwelling bats proves that size does matter and that their habitat of old forest giant trees needs to be intelligently managed. These tiny critters have their unique role in maintaining the complex ecosystems of our forests – as do all creatures great and small.

The research team from DEC is indebted to the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife for its support of this project.

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Dune Dwellers
Inger Vandyke

Approaching the mouth of the Shoalhaven River near Nowra on a day excursion to survey shorebirds, a group of Siberian migrant LBJs (little brown jobs) wheeled off to the opposite shoreline. Rich in invertebrates, the seagrass beds of the Shoalhaven delta are a hotspot for many wading birds that migrate to Australia over summer.

“They’re just over there” said legendary birder, Darryl McKay, “in the dunes…” Following the path of his finger, I couldn’t make out what he was talking about until we got closer to the entrance of the Shoalhaven. In the distance, festooned by ribbons, barricades and warning signs, sat a little Pied Oystercatcher mummy resolutely on her eggs. “This is a bit of a special pair” he explained. “They’ve been trying for eight years to fledge a chick”. A combination of inexperienced parenting and multiple threats, this pair had lost their chicks on every one of their attempts to breed.

Once an uninhabited safe haven, the sandy realm of New South Wales’ coastal dune systems is now under threat. Foxes, pushed to the fringes of communities in burgeoning coastal developments, now regularly patrol dune scapes searching for food. People walking unleashed dogs in protected areas of dune grasses and four wheel drivers keen to take on some sandy driving challenges all threaten the vital habitat of dune dwelling shorebirds like Pied Oystercatchers, Red-capped and Hooded Plovers. Over summer migratory Little Terns from Japan also use our coastal sandy spots to breed.

On any given January day, The Entrance on the Central Coast of New South Wales is packed with crowds hauling a bevy of surfboards, kids, towels and sunscreen to enjoy a day out on the beach in a quintessential Australian rite of summer. Embracing the southern end of the beach is an area cordoned off with signage and fencing that is littered with rubbish like tin cans, disposable nappies, old sunglasses and plastic bags. This fenced area provides one of the best vantage points to watch the fireworks display on New Year’s Eve. It is quite large and appears to fence off a void. On closer inspection, the area within the perimeters of this fencing is home to nesting Little Terns, a highly threatened coastal breeding species whose winter home is in Asia. Despite the rubbish, crowds and noise, endangered Little Terns choose this area to rear their young. Barely the length of a finger joint, Little Tern chicks camouflage well with the sand. It’s an evolutionary survival tactic that blends them well into their surroundings. Sadly it now works against them. People too lazy to walk around the fenced area have climbed the fence to walk through trampling eggs and many remaining nesting spots have been raided by foxes. How long they will persist in using this area to breed is unknown. Their numbers have decreased over the last few years.

Further north at Stockton, the largest coastal dune mass in New South Wales stretches north of Newcastle. Unpatrolled access for quad bike riders and four-wheel drivers has created a new landscape for the Pied Oystercatchers and Red-capped Plovers that call Stockton’s sandy massif home. Without any secured areas, specified 4WD access points or public education, both of these species often struggle to find a suitable spot to breed. Chick rearing is done by parents who now shepherd their offspring to forage on the shoreline, dodging the relentless summer traffic that screams along the beach.

On the South Coast, two devoted Shorebird recovery coordinators Michael Jarman and Jillian Keating work tirelessly to improve the conditions of shorebirds that breed on beaches and coastal lakesides. Involving surveys, weed removal, fox eradication and predation protection measures, their work, which has been funded in part by FNPWS, is proving fruitful. This year has been one of the best on record for endangered Hooded plovers whose numbers in 2004 had dropped to just over 40 in New South Wales. During that year, I spent a day with Mike on Island Beach that runs south of Bawley Point. At the end of a pristine stretch of sand Mike exclaimed “You little rippers!” as we watched an adult pair of “Hoodies” shepherding their three fledgling chicks around the shore. A result of persistent predator eradication and habitat protection, these three had effectively increased the numbers of Hooded Plovers in NSW by 9%.

The Foundation is hoping to provide funding for community awareness campaigns and habitat security that will evenly span the entire coast of New South Wales affording greater protection to sensitive coastal dune systems. At the end of last summer, Darryl reported that our pair of Pieds on the mouth of the Shoalhaven had finally raised a chick. Over a period where they hatched two and lost one, one had successfully survived to adulthood. I wonder if they had any idea that humans were toasting their momentous outcome with a glass of red?

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Last Calls of the Curlew from the Central West

Finding the love of your life can be an exasperating task if you live on a farm in the Australian Outback - especially if you are one of three eligible bachelors in a community of only six families. Even if you have your own property and are willing to commit for a life-time, your call may remain unanswered. Being a Bush Stone-curlew has never been more difficult in the dusty Central West of New South Wales.

The Bush-stone curlew is one of the most iconic outback birds, and sadly one of the most endangered. For the curlews of Quandialla near West Wyalong in the Central West, the difference between survival and extinction is about $1,000 per bird. With only six breeding pairs and about three to four available single birds left in this small rural community this should not be an impossible ask.

Once common in the Australian bush, the Stone-curlew is a most unusual looking bird with a lifestyle to match the looks.

Bush stone-curlews are nocturnal, ground dwelling birds. Their long legs allow them to stand up to 60cm tall above the grass, with their huge eyes looking out for possible danger in the dark. The curlew's only defence is its grey-brown plumage that camouflages it perfectly. As soon as a predator approaches the birds do not flee but crouch and freeze close to the ground. This strategy has saved generations of curlews from native predators such as dingoes, but it is no match for the introduced foxes that have pushed wildlife everywhere to the brink of extinction.

Living among cattle and sheep is also a challenge for a species that only lays one to three eggs in a shallow depression on the ground. Both parents share the load of incubating and feeding the chicks, and the young stay with their parents for about 50 days, however, both eggs and chicks are in danger from predators and from being trampled.

Habitat fragmentation through clearing and development is another problem for the curlews that once lived in groups of up to 50 to 100 birds. Breeding pairs mate for life, which is a considerable thirty years, and stay in their territory of about 25 hectares. This area must include some native vegetation and fallen timber for the birds to find enough food and protection for their chicks.

The Silence of the Curlews
The curlews' slow decline has been noted by the absence of their most intriguing quality, the call that earned them the nick-name of the "wailing-baby birds". Spooky at times, it has frightened campers who are unfamiliar with the sounds of the bush after dark. Today mainly the older residents of the town of Quandialla remember the "the whining baby bird", and they are the first ones to notice that it had become increasingly quiet out there.

Like the Kookaburra, the curlews are social birds that call and answer in groups. Once one bird starts, the others join one by one until they all fall silent and then start all over again. Scientists use this social behaviour to monitor Bush Stone-curlews in the wild. Rather than trying to spot a perfectly still, camouflaged bird in the pitch black, they play a recording of the call at night and simply wait for the birds to answer.

Bush Stone-curlew populations have declined across Australia, but not all is lost for the species as a whole, nor for our 15-bird community near West Wyalong.

The Silver Lining
Bush Stone-curlews have adapted remarkably well to agricultural landscapes. On Kangaroo Island, where there are no foxes, the birds have benefited greatly from vegetation clearance for farming. They are now widespread in agricultural areas with remnants of native vegetation, but are largely absent from areas of dense native vegetation.

A captive breeding program could increase the survival rate of chicks dramatically, but until foxes have been removed from their habitat, any birds released into the wild would immediately be included in the fox's dinner menu.

The little curlew community has one great advantage - the human neighbours are on their side. Farmers are keen to get rid of foxes to protect their lambs, and if this also saves the curlews, even better. The Bush Stone-curlew has an iconic status in the community and its call at night is appreciated as part of the area's cultural heritage.

With foxes being by far the greatest problem for the birds, it is important to start with a baiting program. Reducing fox numbers will go hand in hand with a campaign to promote active conservation. Preserving fallen timber on private land, fencing curlew breeding sites off from grazing stock and coordinating baiting season with curlew breeding season are all important steps to make this program work.

At $1,000 per bird this rescue mission is within reach of all of us. Your donation, however small, can ensure that the curlew chicks of the next breeding season will not end up as fox food, and that those lonely youngsters will find a mate to raise many more generations of Bush Stone-curlews.

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The Broad-headed Snake
Fiona Haddock

True, snakes rarely win cute and cuddly awards - particularly those that are poisonous. Nevertheless, many would be concerned to know that, like so many other Australian natives, the Broad-Headed Snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides) is an endangered species at both the state and national level. These black and yellow venomous snakes have suffered a severe decline in population numbers and distributional extent. They are restricted to the Sydney Basin where they occur exclusively on Triassic sandstone outcrops and benches which run along exposed west to north-facing ridgetops.

Not surprisingly, humans have a lot to do with it. A lot of bush rock habitat has been lost to urban development, and much is still being removed from parks to decorate gardens, often by professional landscaping outfits. These rocks are essential for the Broad-Headed Snake’s survival. They serve as their home and also help shelter their prey, geckos, and, in turn, the geckos’ prey, spiders and insects, says the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, now part of the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Another issue from the Broad-Headed Snake is an unhealthy interest from reptile enthusiasts, says Meagan Ewings, senior threatened species officer in the Department of Environment and Conservation. “Amateurs like to keep them as pets,” she explains.

Bushfires are thought to be yet another threat. While Broadheads reside under exfoliated sandstone rocks and crevices during the cooler months of the year, they move to stem and branch hollows in trees in the warmer months - aside from juveniles and pregnant snakes. This leaves them vulnerable in the event of a fire when hollows burn and the animals get caught and burnt, although no one is very sure about the extent of this problem, Ewings says. “It’s unknown exactly what their response to fire is.”

Ecological burning might assist the snakes if areas around outcrops have become overgrown and are therefore overshadowing the snakes’ shelters. This shading can reduce the thermoregulatory capacity of the rocks during the cooler months. Says Ewings: “They need the warmth to be able to feed when prey comes into striking range; they are sitnd wait opportunistic feeders.”

But ultimately whether fire helps or hinders remains to be seen. The alternative, manual cutting back of vegetation, would be extremely intensive but may be necessary.

Building Knowledge
That’s where a recent study may help shed some light. Various research and habitat restoration projects are under way to help the species survive. “We have funding for two restoration projects with the University of Sydney and Southern Cross Uni. The University of Sydney has also been doing a lot with regards to species biology and ecology, population monitoring”, Meagan says. There is also funding for genetics, site protection, surveillance and education.

Where to from here?
There is still al lot to do, and Meagan has turned to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife for support for the next step in the snake’s recovery program.

Around Morton National Park, there are still some inaccessible areas that may provide quality habitat for the snakes and support healthy populations. Some of these sites can only be visited by helicopter, and it is important for scientists to know how the snakes are using this habitat that has essentially been untouched by humans. If these sites could be monitored, they might also provide some important insights into how the resident snakes respond to fire in an unaltered environment.

A major component of the species’ recovery program is looking at methods of restoring habitat particularly in denuded sites by habitat recreation trialling the use of artificial rock or natural rock replacement.

None of it is going to be easy, Ewing says. “They’re not one of the easiest species to survey and peering under rocks can be destructive in itself.” It also doesn’t help that they’re quite poisonous, she readily agrees.

There is still much to be done if the Broad-Headed Snake is to be saved. As their homes disappear, urgent action needs to be taken to protect their habitat, which includes educating the public. While this might change the minds of some “rock collectors”, there are those audiences that are very difficult to reach, according to Ewings. “It will be very difficult to change the mind of budding amateurs,” she says.

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Restocking the Malleefowl - is it working?
Leonie Gale

Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata are ground-dwelling birds resembling a large speckled chicken. It is not surprising that feral foxes and cats find them an easy and delicious meal.

In the wild, chicks hatch from the large earth mounds built by the birds for incubation of their eggs. They are very vulnerable to attack from predators with a less than 2% survival rate. Once common, the numbers of malleefowl have declined across Australia to endangered status.

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife funded one of the first emergency recovery programs for this endangered species, including purchase of habitat, fox baiting and a captive breeding and release program. A head-count at Yathong Nature Reserve is long overdue, and scientists need your help to radio track 12 Malleefowl that are eagerly awaiting their release into the wild.

In 1975 the Foundation purchased 221,504 hectares of mallee land in western NSW creating Yathong Nature Reserve, Mallee Cliffs National Park and Nombinnie Nature Reserve for the malleefowl. In 1990 the Foundation funded the establishment of a captive breeding population at Western Plains Zoo for release of chicks into Yathong Nature Reserve to augment the declining wild populations.

94% of released chicks were killed by predators. Of these 68% were killed by foxes. Intensive large-scale aerial and ground fox baiting programs commenced in 1997 and over 400 captive-bred malleefowl released into Yathong. Monitoring of foxes has shown a large reduction in numbers across all mallee reserves and in 2003 malleefowl releases were moved to Nombinnie Nature Reserve.

There has been no monitoring of malleefowl over the past 8 years in Yathong Nature Reserve and none in Nombinnie Nature Reserve. $5,000 is needed to fund a collaborative monitoring program by National Parks & Wildlife rangers and Charles Sturt University students.

Radio tracking of twelve released malleefowl for up to four months will show if the birds have died and allow them to be located to determine the cause of death. The transmitters do not harm the birds, they are temporary and detach during malting and growth of new feathers.

Results of this long-term study will assist in planning of predator control, check for the prevalence of feral cats once foxes are removed and contribute to the knowledge of habitat suitability for malleefowl in Nombinnie Nature Reserve.

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Please give a fig for the Coxen's Fig Parrot

Many believe that the critically endangered Coxen’s Fig Parrot (Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni) no longer exists but others insist it is still out there in the rainforests of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW. While many sightings over the past 20 years have not been verified, one thing is certain, that the Coxen’s Fig Parrot is a very elusive and cryptic bird.

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife has always believed that we must not give up until we know for certain that a species is lost. For this reason the Coxen’s Fig Parrot is not a lost cause – just one that needs more help more urgently than any other species.

Scientists believe there are less than 100 birds still remaining, with most recent sightings in the Bundaberg region of Queensland and the upper Hastings catchment in NSW.

Recovery efforts are still underway and, whether they are benefiting the parrot or not, they do have positive results for a host of other rainforest-dependent species including six threatened species, the Wompoo, Rose-crowned and Superb Fruit-doves, the Barred Cuckoo Shrike, the Black Flying fox and the Eastern Tube-nosed Bat.

Over 10,000 fig trees have been planted so far to replace food trees lost to logging and clearing and Currumbin Sanctuary have continued to refine their captive breeding and handling techniques on similar fig parrot species.

We need another $31,000 to do aerial mapping of the figs to determine new planting areas, to propagate and plant more trees, to breed more birds for release into the wild, to train field staff in capture techniques and to involve the community in finding birds and nests.

If the Coxen’s Fig Parrot is out there we must give it the best fighting chance of survival possible. If you would like to support the parrots please make a donation to the parrot emergency fund today.

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