Australian Wildlife News 12 by Claire Smith

Australian

WILDLIFE NEWS A monthly Magazine

Issue 12 March 2013

We are one year old this month! AND STILL HERE!

Welcome to issue 12 of Australia Wildlife news... Hello friends, Sorry for the delay with this, our 12th issue! It’s been a hectic month and I’m afraid something had to go on the back-burner... We are very lucky to have some new FIELD JOURNALISTS, please join me in welcoming Nat Richardson and Carole Hughes. They will be writing for AWN each month and bringing you news and stories from around Australia. This issue has a very important article on Koalas in NSW and it follows on from last months’ Coal Seam Gas feature. It’s written by David Paull and it’s his letter, in full, that he sent to the Environment Minister Tony Burke. It also saddens me to have to write about Campbell Newman’s latest Bat proposal. Newman has stated he will form his own Bat Squad to disperse Flying Fox camps and then charge the local council for doing it. There are several camps ear marked where the local council has themselves applied for dispersal permits. Bearing in mind also, these permits for dispersal and the dispersal itself, is carried out by local residents. Camps currently have lots of pups with them and the distress, confusion and anxiety is no doubt going to cause mayhem for these camps. The dispersal permit allows residents to co-ordinate a 10 day period of clearance of the bats and they are ‘supposed’ to abide by DEHP protocols. To make sure this happens volunteers from Bat Rescue and Rehab organisations will be present at as many of the dispersals as possible - not by invitation of course. They will be videoing and photographing the methods used and they will also be on hand if their are any bat casualties. In 2011 Mayor Campbell Newman stated that once bats were removed from urban areas the trees they occupied should be cut down. This is the man who is now Premier of QLD! Perhaps Mr Newman prefers a concrete jungle. Please show your support if you can, to the Bat organisations in QLD who are trying to protect these already ‘protected’ mammals - that’s an oxymoron if there was one! This issue has a lot of very, very important wildlife information regarding our treatment of our wildlife as a country. I am ashamed of how much cruelty, habitat destruction and lack of support from the country’s lawmakers in challenging the crimes against our animals, birds, marine life and reptiles. Until next issue, take care. Claire, Editor AWN 2

Claire Smith - Editor Field Journalists Natalie Richardson - Koalas, Bats, Macropods Carole Hughes - Dingoes & Macropods Graphics Kieron Hunt For editorial submissions: Contact: info@australianwildlifenews.com This months’ contributing writers: Sammy Ringer Dave Paull Lucy Cooke Don’t forget to find us on Facebook Australia Wildlife News

Please welcome baby Darren the Red Necked Wallaby being cared for by my good friends Heather & Karl.

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AUSTRALASIAN BAT SOCIETY, INC. ABN 75 120 155 626 http://ausbats.org.au ABS President: Dr Kyle Armstrong Email: president@ausbats.org.au

MEDIA RELEASE Premier Newman's bat squads The Australasian Bat Society, Inc was dismayed at Premier Newman's comments to the media on 27/3/2013 regarding the mobilisation of so-called "bat squads" to cull flying-foxes in populated areas and his encouragement of local councils to act in a similar manner. Premier Newman needs to be aware that culling will not solve the problem because the bats regularly move long distances amongst numerous camps. Therefore, culling will never provide a local solution because bats will keep arriving to replace those killed. In scientific studies conducted since the late 1980s, individual flying-foxes have been found to move distances of up to 1200 km, and to use several dozen roost sites each. More recent research using satellite trackers shows even more extensive movements between colonies than previously realised, and demonstrates that flying-fox colonies are part of a dynamic network, rather than stable, independent camps of individuals. Flying-foxes are 'keystone' species in natural ecosystems because of their essential roles in pollination and seed dispersal. Destroying flying-foxes would also remove their economically valuable ecosystem services and will have serious consequences for the health of our natural environment. Actions taken in Queensland will affect the ecological role of flying-foxes in other states because of their frequent long distance movements across borders. The ABS sees a responsibility for State and Commonwealth Governments to help local councils and shires to develop management strategies to resolve the conflicts between the interests of the public and flying-foxes. The ABS believes that the best way to achieve resolution is to recognise the valuable role that scientists and other experienced bat specialists play by seeking to engage them on such matters. The ABS has offered Premier Newman the collective specialist scientific knowledge and experience of its members to help him resolve the complex and long standing issues of flying-foxes in populated areas.

About the Australasian Bat Society, Inc. We are a not-for-profit organisation, registered under the NSW Associations Incorporation Act 1984 through the NSW Department of Fair Trading. Our aim is to promote the conservation and study of bats in Australasia. ABS membership is wide-ranging and includes research scientists, natural resource managers, students, wildlife carers and members of the general public.

For further information please visit http://ausbats.org.au/.

WILDLIFE NEWS

KANGAROOS IN TROUBLE By Carole Hughes Big trouble for kangaroos, help them please There is way too much apathy and ignorance, in general, towards what is happening to our kangaroos. It doesn’t seem to matter that already we have made EXTINCT several hundred species of Australian native fauna and that hundreds more are on the endangered list. We continue our careless practices. People do not understand that by what is happening, we are taking the quality of our kangaroos away, their health and vigor is not what it used to be and as species they are becoming weaker. The evolutionary ramifications are incredibly frightening. Many people do not realize that the Industry is taking the largest males, who of course, are the best breeding stock, the strongest, most virile and desirable gene pool. It is also not publicized that it has now been found that the average age of kangaroos is about 2 YEARS OLD instead of about 20 years old. They are not being allowed to live their full life span and breed how they would choose to do so for the strength, benefit and longevity of their species.

in pain. Some hop away with ghastly wounds. Some are bashed to death. Millions of joeys, in utter terror, are hauled out of pouches or caught mid-flight and brutally murdered. It’s a ghastly nightmare, only it is too true. Imagine what it would be like for you, to see your father, mother, children, other family and friends mercilessly savaged. This is exactly what it is like, night after night for thousands of kangaroos. They feel every bit of it as much as we would.

Claire Smith Photography

Claire ClaireSmith SmithPhotography Photography

The kangaroo populations, particularly Reds, are under extreme pressure because humans are predating so heavily on them. It has been shown through scientific research, that the Red kangaroo populations only grow between 6-8% a year when under pressure and yet the current quota for the allowable killing of Reds is 21% of the estimated population. That is THREE TIMES the growth rate. A quota of 5.5 million has been set for the last 3 years, this year it is 7 million, and they don’t even know how many kangaroos there are in actuality. They do aerial surveys and then estimate how many they think there are?! There is a huge range between the figures that are bantered round by the "experts". And yet the kangaroo management scheme is saying that kangaroos have to be "used" in an ecologically sustainable way?? They are not taking into account the huge numbers of kangaroos who are killed illegally or who die in accidents. Nor does anyone disclose the enormous numbers of joeys who are bashed to death cruelly or who are left to die, night after night. The cruelty factor of all this barbarism is TRULY HORRIFIC. Some kangaroos are shot and die immediately, millions do NOT. They are injured and 4

Claire ClaireSmith SmithPhotography Photography

Claire Smith Photography Claire Smith Photography WILDLIFE NEWS

1080 POISON - WHY ARE WE STILL USING IT? This is an extract of a study by CSIRO into the effects of primary and secondary poisoning on target and native species. 1080 is widely used by graziers, State Forests etc to ‘control’ pest species. It is not only placed in bait containers however, aerial drops also occur and you don’t need to exert your imagination to hard to work out the dangers of this type of practice. This poison is used throughout all the states in Australia and Tasmania. New Zealand is the biggest purchaser of this vile substance. They use it to try and control their possum population. It’s obviously not working in either New Zealand or Australia so why are we still using it?

Although vomiting has probably evolved as a natural protective mechanism, especially for carrion There is no constancy in the pattern eaters, it does not necessarily ensure of symptoms of poisoning in their survival from 1080 poisoning. marsupial and eutherian carnivores; there is as much variation in response For example, although 90% of the eastern native cats and 95% of the between individuals as between devils vomited within 13-49 min species. (mean 26 min) and 18-82 min (mean In all cases where symptoms were 55 min) shown there is initially a period of variable duration (0.1-23 h, see Table of ingesting 1080, respectively, this was still sufficient time for many of 2) in which the animals appear normal. Often, the greater the amount them to absorb a lethal dose. There is obviously considerable individual of 1080 ingested, the shorter this latent period becomes; an example is variability in absorption rates and sensitivity; some of the animals given in Fig. 1. slowest to vomit survived but those After the latent period, symptoms that vomited after 13 and 18 min may appear in one of three different died. We buy it in from the USA in vast ways: Some animals, particularly the quantities. This poison is banned in smaller dasyurids, suddenly begin to Convulsions were usually preceded most other parts of the world. look 'unwell' or depressed and sit or by a variety of symptoms, depending on both the individual and the lie quietly, breathing slowly and To carry out the CSIRO study, live species, and were sometimes occasionally trembling. Some of animals were caught and delivered them recover, while the others either triggered by disturbance, such as the doses of 1080 using a laboratory opening of a door, sudden movement become increasingly sensitive to technique known as LD50. LD stands stimuli (hyperexcited), or suddenly of an observer, or convulsion by a for Lethal Dose and the 50 is a % neighbouring animal. Briefly, and in experience convulsions. measurement. Basically, what rough order, these symptoms include: strength of poison is required to be More commonly, affected animals restlessness; increasing hyperingested for 50% of the animals to suddenly become hyperexcited, with excitability or response to stimuli; die - Lethal Dose. This is a system rapid breathing, bouts of trembling bouts of trembling; rapid,shallow widely used in all commercial testing and sometimes periodic circling breathing; incontinence or diarrhea; laboratories throughout the world. within their cages. Again, some excessive salivation; twitching of the animals may then recover while facial muscles; nystagmus I have chosen to publish the others begin to vomit, convulse, or (involuntary eyeball movement symptoms. These findings clash with both. exposing the whites) or bulging eyes many other reports I have read which with large (dilated) pupils and rapid indicate lower levels of suffering. With some animals, particularly the blinking (plus, in domestic cats, One would assume that CSIRO are eastern native and tiger cats and Tas- discharge of mucus from the eyes); confident that their published results manian devil, the first symptom is the slight lack of coordination or are accurate. sudden onset of vomiting. The time balance; abrupt bouts of vocalization; before this did not depend on the and, finally, sudden bursts of violent THIS POISON NEEDS TO BE amount of 1080 ingested. Vomiting activity. BANNED. follows even when the 1080 is given via intraperitoneal injection. Division of Wildlife Research, Claire Smith, Editor AWN Thereafter, the animals may either CSIRO, P.O. Box 84, Lyneham, still recover or instead become A.C.T. 2602. hyperexcited or experience convulsions. WILDLIFE NEWS

Symptoms

Birds I have known by Sammy Ringer I know it’s wrong to categorise birds by virtue of ones (limited) experience of them, but: Pee Wees are smart and agile and combine the ‘tame’ and ‘wild’ in a delightful way. They also have an uncanny knack of getting things twisted around their legs. They’ll take things out of your hand but won’t look you in the eye. The poor things call out for ‘Phoebe!’ all day, not realising Phoebe is gone. The smart ones come back home when al they’ve managed to get a nylon strIng tangled round BOTH their legs. The others, I presume, die. Crows are NOT smart when they’re young. They’re noisy and demanding and pretend (convincingly) that they CANNOT self-feed, even when they have reached what anyone would call ‘almost adult’ stage. As they reach ‘real adult’ stage, they (reluctantly) peck at the food that’s offered, making it clear that it’s REALLY HARD WORK to pick it up and – you know – swallow it. As they leave their adolescent days behind, a kind of magic transformation occurs. The annoying ‘ahahah!’ cry takes on new variances and their vocabulary expands. They play with sticks and pull at your shoe-laces if you ignore them. They sit and stare at you with their knowing-blue eyes and hobble-hophobble after you in the garden as you weed, catching the odd earthworm but mainly catching sticks that they parade around like a prize. Their gait reminds me of a half-drunk Colonel in Dad’s Army, a wide legged waddle with rhumba undertones. I love crows. When they’ve grown up. Fig birds have a special place in my heart. Not just the orphans in my care but also (especially!) the wild mothers who have to tend these ravenous, vocal but endearing birds. People talk about ‘three hourly or two hourly feeds’ – how about ‘every ten minute or continuous’ feeds?’ I have tried every variance of the captive diet recommended for the fig bird and can only say – you put it in one end and it comes out the other looking much the same, in less time than it takes you to clean the newspapers in the bottom of the cage. Meanwhile, these beautiful, wide-beaked little birds sit on their preferred perch, head a-wobbling and wings aflapping in hungry entreaty, never quite sated and yet so –what is the word? – delicately entreating that you just keep putting food down their gaping and wobbling craw. Until you are sure they will burst. Which they never do. The Currawong can be a stand-offish bird. I’ve had young ones who behave like normal, hungry orphans, gaping and treating me like family. Then they get to that certain age when they realise you are not family! And the problems start. They dart around the aviary, rasping out a throaty call of ‘Predator!’, ignoring the tantalising tray of ox heart and insectivore you’ve lovingly prepared. If they’re self-feeding when the transformation takes place, that’s fine. If they’re not, what do you do? I have tried everything to ensure my adolescent-going-on-crazy Currawongs don’t die of a self-imposed hunger strike. Force feeding, hanging the meat around the aviary, dragging it around the ground…in the end I found tough love was the only answer. If you leave it, he will eat, I thought. And he did, eventually. What could well be my favourite ever bird is the Satin Bowerbird. I’ve only had one and he was polite to the point of being regal. He shared a largish aviary with a Friar Bird and three Fig Birds. While the Friar Bird did his best 6

WILDLIFE NEWS

imitation of a starving waif and the Fig Birds’ chirruped!’ their hunger every minute on the minute, the Satin Bower Bird would sit and gape rather hesitantly, as though to say ‘If you’re not too busy…’ I could have learned to love that little guy but didn’t get the chance. He and the Friar Bird were taken by a python one night. A python who got in through a hole that was made by my resident crow, who decided to pull out the steel wool I’d used to stuff the holes between the corrugated iron roof and the aviary wall.* Nature’s full of these little conundrums. * I have now filled the gaps with expanding foam – chew on that, crow! .

Claire Smith Photography

WILDLIFE NEWS

Tony Burke, Minister for the Environment -‐ you need to ACT NOW! By David Paull Dear Tony, I wish to bring to your a4en5on a ma4er of great urgency regarding the plight of the Koala in the Liverpool Plains, with one popula5on now facing local ex5nc5on. A popula5on that s5ll inhabits Leard Forest, greatly reduced, is at great risk if the proposed coal mine projects proceed as the NSW Government intends. Both the Boggabri Mine Extension (100% owned by Idemitsu) and the Maule’s Creek Project (30% owned by Idemitsu) have recently been approved and if they proceed will completely remove the western side of the forest, with another, the Goonbri Coal Project, planned for the eastern side of the Forest (Figure 1). Both the Boggabri Mine Extension and the Maule’s Creek Project have been determined to be controlled ac5ons by your department due to the poten5al loss of large areas of the cri5cally endangered Box Gum woodland. Figure 1. Proposed mine expansion in Leard Forest

This le4er will outline new informa5on regarding the habitat selec5on and status of the remaining Koalas s5ll inhabi5ng the forest and will show how the previous informa5on used to characterise this popula5on in the relevant ecological assessments for the mining companies, has been factually deﬁcient and has led to an incorrect assessment of the Koalas in this forest. While the recent lis5ng of the Koala as a na5onally threatened species occurred aVer these controlled ac5ons had been determined, the informa5on contained here demonstrate that the Koala is an important component of the Box Gum ecological community in this forest. 8

WILDLIFE NEWS

Background Leard Forest, formerly over 8 000 ha in size, was one of the largest forest remnants on the Liverpool Plains, covered in a variety of forest types, but generally is dominated by ironbark and box woodlands and lower slope grassy woodlands, approximately 4 000 ha of box gum woodland, including 3 000 ha of the cri5cally endangered White Box Yellow Box Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Na5ve Grasslands. Leard Forest acts as cri5cal stepping stone for the dispersal of fauna on the north-‐west slopes, containing one of the largest con5nuous stands of box gum woodland on the Liverpool Plains (Figure 2). In 2006 the Boggabri Coal Mine was established in the southern part of the forest removing some 300 ha of Pilliga Box -‐ Bimble Box Woodland and over 100 ha of White Box Grassy Woodland, more of which is currently being removed as the mine expands.

Ecological Assessments conducted for the mine expansions described the forest in a variety of ways such as being a disturbed forest; “The Leard State Forest was intensively logged for its timber resource on a regular basis … Evidence of previous land uses are evident within the Leard State Forest, including an extensive number of access tracks for logging purposes, the prominence of stumps and fallen timber and land clearing for forestry purposes.” (Hansen Bailey 2010). Ironbark and cypress logging has occurred throughout the last 100 years, though the dedication of Leard forest as a forest reserve has preserved it from the large-scale land clearing that has occurred for agricultural purposes during that time. Logging tended to be selective, with the larger, straight ironbark and cypress stems taken but the retention of old growth ironbark trees is still extensive in the areas where ironbark dominates. The box woodlands by comparison have suffered little internal fragmentation due to the unsuitability of the timber and all stands are characterised as being dominated by old trees with a high floristic diversity. These box woodlands have a high hollow density as evidenced by the assessment undertaken for the Maules Creek Mine which found over 100 hollows per hectare on average in the box forest (Cumberland Ecology 2011). Expected impacts form the two new mine approvals The Maules Creek project will remove a further 1,665 ha of woodland and forest including 540 ha of Box Gum Woodland, and 27 ha of Pilliga-‐Bimble Box woodland, while the Boggabri expansion will remove 1,385 ha of forest, including 624 ha of Box Gum Woodland and most of the remaining patches of Pilliga -‐ Bimble Box woodland. These mines will aﬀect large areas of creek and drainage forest where areas of red gum and yellow box occur. Together with the exis5ng Boggabri Mine approval (en5tled to remove over 1,000 ha) half of the forest will disappear completely. Previous Koala Surveys

Two surveys for Koalas and Koala habitat were conducted during the ecological assessments for the two new major mine developments in the forest. Both used the SAT assessment methodology as developed by the AKF. Cumberland Ecology (2011) found no Koalas or signs of Koala in the forest despite extensive survey (81 sites) and characterised the habitat for the Koala as being “secondary” and that the poor result, “… indicates that koala density is extremely low and that the occurrences of koalas most likely represent occasional transient individuals.” Parsons Brinkerhoff (2010) who undertook the ecological assessment for the Boggabri Mine expansion, undertook 166 Koala site surveys and detected scats at 5 of these sites. Two Koalas were observed during field surveys. The trees found to be used by Koalas included Narrow-leaf ironbark, White Box, Pilliga Box and Blakely’s Red Gum. The report states that, “The low numbers of Koalas recorded during the surveys indicates that the Leard State Forest is not dominated by habitat preferred by the Koala”. Surveys conducted under the direction of the Australian Koala Foundation, October 2012. WILDLIFE NEWS

SAT tests were conducted at 24 random sites throughout the forest including in areas covered by previous surveys and in a manner consistent with those undertaken by the previous surveys. The results are presented in Appendix 1. Of the 719 trees sampled during the surveys, 45 (6.8%) were found to have Koala scats under them. Koalas were found at just less than 50% of the sites surveyed. Of the tree species used by Koalas Pilliga Box (E. pilligaensis) and Blakely’s Red Gum (E. blakelyi) rated the highest usage rate with 12.7% and 8.1% of all trees of these species sampled having scats under them respec5vely. White Box (2.7%) and Bimble Box (3.3%) scored a lower ra5ng. Two animals were observed, both in Pilliga Box trees in diﬀerent parts of the forest. One animal, a male, has been observed in the same loca5on over a period of two months (Figure 3). The tree preference displayed by the Koalas in this forest has been reported elsewhere on the western slopes and plains of NSW, with Pilliga Box known as a preferred species in the Pilliga and southern Queensland, while White Box, Bimble Box and Blakely’s Red Gum preferred in the Gunnedah area (AKF, unpublished data) and demonstrate a preference for these species .

Tree usage rates are low when compared to other known usage rates for White Box (42%), Blakelys Red Gum (50%), Bimble Box (33%) and Pilliga Box (40%) recorded elsewhere on the western slopes (AKF, unpublished data). This may be attributable to two factors; sites were not selected upon known Koala usage and the total numbers of animals in the forest is likely to be low. Based on levels of fresh tree use and the number of animals observed in the forest, there may be no more than a dozen Koalas left in the forest at present.

WILDLIFE NEWS

Past and current status of the Koalas in Leard

In addition, judging by the various ages of the scats found under several trees, Koalas in Leard showed signs of continuous usage of trees or patches of trees, sometimes known as “high-use” sites. As scats get older they decay and it is easy to distinguish older from fresher scats, where older and younger scats are mixed then it is usually indicative of local residency or the continued use of home territories (Figure 5). This is strong evidence of Koala residency in Leard.

Given the identified tree preferences in the Leard forest, the amount of Figure 5. Koala scats from the same habitat containing Pilliga Box and SAT site (Site 14) Blakely’s Red Gum are very limited today, amounting to probably less than 200 ha in the forest scattered in small widely spaced patches along the southern, northern and eastern sides of the forest associated with lowest lying land in the forest. While it is not known how many Koalas were in the forest prior to the first Boggabri mine being established, the loss of over 400 ha box woodland, including 300 ha of Pilliga-Bimble Box would have had a significant impact on the resident Koalas, the removal of the largest intact patch of its preferred habitat. While the population in Leard has been characterised as being “transitory” one in the mine assessments, this has to be disputed with the current level of knowledge we now have. State Forest and Wildlife Atlas records show that records show that Koalas have been found in the forest since the 1980s where the box gum woodlands are found.

WILDLIFE NEWS

Given the levels of habitat fragmentation that has occurred throughout the landscape, current land habitat links are mostly tenuous and full of danger for the Koala. Crossing large exposed areas and using thin corridors of trees, often along roadsides. While such corridors still serve to link areas of

habitat, they are not conducive to the dispersal of wild Koalas across the landscape and areas such as Leard forest should serve as refuge habitat and would have almost certainly supported a healthy, local population, perhaps no more than several hundred individuals. Nevertheless, the evidence suggests that there has always been a resident population in Leard forest.

Future for the Leard Koalas Koalas are still present on the northern, eastern and probably western sides of Leard forest. However, with the proposed mine expansion into these areas of the forest and the removal of a further 1,500 ha of box gum woodland, the survival of the remnants of this population may be under threat. While half of the forest will remain, most of the box gum woodland will have been removed and the remaining forest will be hemmed in by mines on either side, blocking any dispersal into and out of the forest. The mine proposals leave a 500 m wide corridor in between the two new proposed mines, though this is likely to be ineffectual for Koalas as it does not traverse areas of preferred habitat, as well, other indications from the recent surveys in 2012 show that Koalas seem to avoid areas close to mine activity. Habitat links, however tenuous, will be severed. This may have wider impacts on the Koala than within the forest itself, particularly in the context of climate change and a 11

predicted pattern of drying of the more western parts of this species range. This pattern of eastward habitat contraction for the Koala has been modelled (Adams-Hosking et al. 2011) and other evidence suggest that Koalas have already suffered significant declines on the western slopes due to drought impacts over the last ten years with a decline of up to 80% in the population size in the Pilliga since the mid-2000s (Paull 2012) and a decline of about 25% since 2009 in the Gunnedah area (Lunney et al. 2012).

•

primary koala food tree species comprise at least 30% of the overstorey trees;,

•

primary koala food tree species comprise less than 30% of the overstorey trees, but together with secondary food tree species comprise at least 50% of the overstorey trees;

It is my greatest concern that the proposed mine expansion may see the complete elimination of this population both as a result of direct and indirect means and is likely to hamper the dispersal of this species such that existing habitat links will be severed for many years to come.

While it is outside the jurisdiction of the EPBC Act to be triggered on • primary food tree species are behalf of the Koala it is apparent that the Koala is a key component of the absent but secondary food tree species alone comprise at critically endangered Box Gum Woodland and should re-enforce the least 50% of the overstorey significance of the loss of hundreds trees; and At a time when habitat corridors of hectares of this woodland. We • Habitat critical to the survival need to be established to aid the cannot afford to lose any more of the koala is also considered dispersal and survival of this species populations of indigenous Koalas, to be any form of landscape in areas once thought to be common, particularly populations in link areas corridor which is essential to instead we have catastrophic habitat such as this population, in an area the dispersal of koalas loss in precisely areas we can least intermediate between known between forest or woodland afford to do so. This has populations in the Pilliga and habitats. implications not just for Koalas but Gunnedah areas. Given the current for a wide range of terrestrial fauna. Given that it is accepted that White low numbers of Koalas across the region, further losses to numbers and Box, Pilliga Box, Bimble Box and habitat connectivity such as this has Blakely’s Red Gum are preferred wider implications for the survival of trees as indicated by the database Koalas and the EPBC Act this and other woodland species AKF have accumulated on the The Koala was listed as a nationally western slopes of NSW, the first which are dependent on the ongoing vulnerable species in 2012. Currently three criteria are satisfied over 50% survival and connectivity of these triggers for the “calling in” of this ecosystems. of the total forest area. The last species under the EPBC Act are criteria certainly satisfied. The offset package proposed by the being decided, as are methodologies mining proponents does not meet the In terms of the population being an to identify and describe Koala Draft Commonwealth Offset policy “important population” under the habitat. as it does meet like for like Interim Advice, only genetic work One key indicator is the can describe the genetic relationships requirements, and in particular does identification of “Critical Habitat” as of the NSW north-west slopes not protect Koala habitat such that it defined under the Interim Koala Koalas. If the initial field indications will preserve a Koala population Referral Advice (DSEWPaC 2012). of Koala residency in the forest from extinction or increase the The habitat in Leard meets the prove correct, then we may be close connectivity in the landscape for specific criteria: to losing a distinct genetic unit from dispersing Koalas. the Koala meta-population.

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I urge you Mr Burke not to give approval for these two disastrous mine developments, which are tantamount to ecocide. Sincerely yours, David Paull MSc, BSc, Dip Hum, Certified Biobanking Assessor (#0019) Member: Ecological Society of Australia, Australian Mammal Society, Ecological Consultants Association References Adams-Hosking, C., Grantham, H.S., Rhodes, J.R., McAlpine, C. and Moss, P.T. 2011. Modelling climate-change-induced shifts in the distribution of the koala. Wildlife Research 38: 122–130 Cumberland Ecology (2011). Appendix I. Maules Creek Coal Project: Ecological Assessment. Report to Hansen Bailey. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2012). Interim Koala Referral Advice for Proponents. Australian Government, Canberra (June 2012). Lunney, D., Crowther, M., Foley, B., Wallis, I., Lemon, J., Wheeler, R. and Orscheg, C. (2012). Climate Change and Koala Populations: The likely impact of rising levels of carbon dioxide and heat stress, with implications for adaptation. Disasters For Wildlife 4. DECCW Hurstville, NSW. Hansen Bailey (2010). Continuation of Bogganri Coal Mine: Environmental Assessment. Parsons Brinkerhoff (2010). Appendix J. Biodiversity Impact Assessment. Report to Hansen Bailey. Paull, D.C. (2012). Climate Change and the Pilliga Koalas, preliminary evidence for long-term decline? Paper presented to the 58th Annual Meeting of the Australian Mammal Society, Port Augusta.

Appendix 1.Results of AKF Koala survey in Leard Forest (October 2012)

Ealbens Eblakelyi Econica Ecrebra Emelliodora Epilligaensis Epopulnea all species bold sp.

n sites 14 8 1 9 2 9 7

n trees n pellets strike rate % 223 6 2.7 136 11 8.1 3 0 0 41 0 0 20 2 10 173 22 12.7 123 4 3.3 719 45 6.8 655 43 6.6

P 0.027 0.081 0.000 0.000 0.100 0.127 0.033

nP 6 11 0 0 2 22 4

n(1-P) 217 125 3 41 18 151 119

Appendix 2. Criteria for CriIcal habitat under the Interim Advice (DSEWPaC 2012) Habitat cri5cal to the survival of the koala is currently considered to be areas of forest or woodland where: • primary koala food tree species comprise at least 30% of the overstorey trees, • primary koala food tree species comprise less than 30% of the overstorey trees, but together with secondary food tree species comprise at least 50% of the overstorey trees, • primary food tree species are absent but secondary food tree species alone comprise at least 50% of the overstorey trees • the above quali5es may be absent in a forest or woodland but other essen5al habitat features are present and adjacent to areas exhibi5ng the above quali5es (e.g. koalas in the Pilliga are known to escape the heat of the day by taking refuge in white cypress pines, which are not food trees), or • a rela5vely high density of koalas is supported, regardless of the presence of food tree species. Koala popula5on densi5es vary across their range and regional data should be used to judge rela5ve density. Habitat cri5cal to the survival of the koala is also considered to be any form of landscape corridor which is essen5al to the dispersal of koalas between forest or woodland habitats. WILDLIFE NEWS

EMUS MURDERED IN WA Arranged in a gruesome public display a group of young emus have been found slaughtered on a road in Western Australia's South West. The "unusual" discovery of nine dead juvenile emus, known as an "Evi", in a line formation was made by locals in the Shire of Nannup, 280 kilometres south of Perth, last month. It's a bit of a mystery.

Nannup man Rick Barrowclough was driving down Uranium Road with friends when they spotted what looked like "garbage bags" strewn across the road last month. "As we edged closer, we could see they were actually the bodies of nine juvenile emus deliberately spaced evenly from one side to the other," Mr Barrowclough told Fairfax Media. Wildlife authorities and locals have "Closer inspection revealed they been left "baffled" and "disturbed" by were recently slaughtered but we what has been described as a were unsure if they had been shot or grotesque "traffic barrier". poisoned. The incident was reported indirectly "They seemed to have been killed on February 18, but only reached the elsewhere then transported to this Department of Environment and spot and laid out almost as a traffic Conservation's Blackwood office the barrier." following week. It is not clear how the birds were killed, particularly as the emu is Two days later a local DEC officer Australia's largest native bird and can was at the scene. reach speeds of more than 50km/h. While the DEC has since launched a However, DEC regional wildlife full investigation, the bodies of the officer Pia Courtis said early emus had decomposed significantly, inquiries suggest the birds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which complicating inquiries. were likely siblings - were shot The RSPCA has branded the incident elsewhere and later placed on the "an act of horrific cruelty" and road. appealed for anybody with information to contact either the DEC of RSPCA's cruelty hotline.

"We're not 100 per cent sure on cause of death, but possibly they have been shot," she said. "If they were quiet sitting down they could have taken them all out at once. "It's a bit of a mystery." She said the incident was something her team had "never witnessed before". "It's quite unusual," Ms Courtis said. Emus are known to be a menace to farmers in the region, causing significant damage to fences, feeding off crops and trampling grape vines. In situations where there are "significant levels of damage", the DEC can issue a license that allows for humane killing and disposal of emus. However, as emus are protected native fauna under the Wildlife Conservation Act, fines of as much as $4000 per bird could face perpetrators if the birds were taken without a license. Anybody with information can contact the DEC Wildcare helpline on 9474 9055 or the RSPCA's Cruelty Hotline on 1300 278 3589.

WILDLIFE NEWS

INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION

AIUNA Sloth Foundation By Lucy Cooke, Zoologist, Author, National Geographic Film maker and explorer It’s mid-March 2013 and I’m in a rickety van speeding recklessly along a dusty highway in rural Colombia. The reason for my breakneck behavior is somewhat ironic—I’m racing to save the world’s slowest mammal. Welcome to the surprisingly urgent world of sloth rescue.

Weighing little more than 300 grams, he is utterly helpless. A baby sloth spends the first six months of its life clinging to its mother for food and warmth. Orphan babies like Baloo are comforted by the sound of a heartbeat and need feeding every few hours. So Tinka gets little rest with a fragile baby snoozing on her chest.

I love sloths. I always have. They’re nature’s most misunderstood animal—forever damned as one of the seven deadly sins. But their eccentric biology is a miracle of evolution that’s helped the humble sloth outlive dinosaurs and woolly mammoths. Rather than being derided for a slow-mo lifestyle, I believe the sloth should be exalted as an energy-saving totem for the 21st century.

But sleepless nights aren’t enough to guarantee survival. Without the essential antibodies present in maternal milk, tiny orphans like Baloo have only a 25 percent chance of making it. Most die of respiratory illnesses that Tinka believes are triggered by stress. Being a surrogate sloth mom is a seriously stressful job.

But humanity has thrown a curveball at these dozy folivores. Roads, power-lines and dogs are far from sloth-friendly. And then, most perversely, there’s the curse of cute—the reason behind today’s mercy mission. Mankind’s nurturing nature is attracted to anything with big eyes and a wobbly head. With their sweet smiles and innate hug-ability, baby sloths are essentially cute crack and have become a slowmoving target for Colombia’s burgeoning illegal pet trade. Enter sloth savior extraordinaire Tinka Plese, a 60something former Croatian who has devoted almost 20 years to rescuing and rehabilitating Colombia’s sloths. I first meet Tinka at her farm on the outskirts of Medellin. She runs the AIUNAU sloth foundation, where sloths that have been captured by illegal wildlife traffickers live and recuperate. She greets me with a warm smile and a wide yawn. Her home has morphed into a sanctuary and she sleeps with the sloths. Literally. But it’s keeping her up all night. Like some kind of bizarre fashion statement, Tinka is wearing her latest arrival. Clinging to her neck is Baloo—a tiny baby Bradypus, or three-fingered sloth. He was snatched from his mother at less than a month old and brought to Tinka by the local environmental police. WILDLIFE NEWS

Today we’re chasing a tip that sloths are being trafficked to tourists along the main highway from the coast. And we find them just minutes away from a massive environmental agency sign about animal trafficking. Tinka tells the van to slow down as three young boys emerge from the bushes by the side of the road carrying a menagerie of animals; macaws, baby howler monkeys and baby sloths. She snaps away on her camera, gathering evidence for the environmental police. Their so-called anti-trafficking policies aren’t really working. Fortunately, the day finishes on a happier note, with Tinka releasing one of her rescued sloths at a local farm. It’s wonderful to watch the creature gracefully climb to the top of a tall Cecropia tree and slump into its first snooze as a wild sloth. With luck, Baloo and the roadside orphans will one day enjoy the same fate. And then perhaps Tinka herself might even get some sleep.

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