Wildlife Queensland Bayside Branch

Transcription

1 Wildlife Queensland Bayside Branch The Month Ahead Next Meeting. Friday 25th July pm Lisa Bailey Wildlife Officer with Redland City Council Our speaker this month is Lisa Bailey Wildlife Officer with Redland City Council. Did you know that we have the Glossy Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami here in the Redlands? Not only are these gentle birds listed as vulnerable, they also have specific habitat requirements that must be present for them to stay here. Without these resources, the population of Glossies in the Redlands will decline. The Glossy Black Conservancy will be conducting its annual survey in October and we need your help. Come and find out about Glossies and how you can help keep them in the Redlands. Platypus Watch Workshop Sunday 17 th August, Indigiscapes Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland (WPSQ) Bayside Branch is bringing Platypus Watch to IndigiScapes in August. Guest presenter, Ross Patterson, has a wonderful insight on the species with some very interesting stories. Interest will be gauged in on the ground surveys at a later date. Light refreshments served. Cost Gold Coin donation When On Sunday 17 August 2014 Time Scheduled for 9.45am to 11.30am Where Redlands IndigiScapes Centre, 17 Runnymede Road, Capalaba National Tree Day Sunday 27 th July, Luke Street Park Thornlands Bayside Branch will be at RCC planting event, holes dug plants supplied National Tree Day Sunday 27 July 9 am to 11 am, Luke Street Park, Luke Street, Thornlands UBD: Map 225, Q2 Mangrove Watch In this edition Sunday 10th August 2:00pm Trophy hunters MangroveWatch Cleveland help the survey team to monitor the mangroves of banned from bringing Nelson Falls, Lake St. Clair Moreton Bay. If you like mud and would be able to spend couple of hours Why not join the Bayside Branch MangroveWatch on their next monitoring session at Cleveland. Contact Steve for details: bayside@wildlife.org.au GOING DIGIT@L Have you considered receiving your newsletter by ? If you would like to see the full colour version of the newsletter each month, please let us know by ing wildlifebb@bigpond.com It will save paper, envelopes and postage From the executive Presidents Report STEVE Foundations for the Future; A long-term plan for Australian ecosystem science Endangered Species, Endangered Future Wild creatures of the tropics are being lost before they re found MARK ZIEMBICKI Glossy Black Cockatoo home rhino parts as MP Jason Wood fights 'barbaric' canned hunting MARK SIMKIN AND LATIKA BOURKE 6 Resources Committee and Contacts Membership Form

2 From the Executive Team... Presidents Report Isn t this time of year fantastic, crystal clear mornings, superb sunrises and just enough bite in the air to make the skin tingle and the lungs sing. It is an opportune time to sample the various foreshore walks that we have along the bayside fringes and we will not be alone. Check out the brochure on R.C.C website under walking, The other Sunday morning whilst helping out at a planting with the Friends of King Island group, I was impressed at the sheer numbers of the community who were enjoying the outdoors by trekking out to the island, true some people still have to bring along their dogs, but everyone was just enjoying the environment, the sand and the sea air. I am sure all along the coast others were watching whales, taking in the fresh air, the colours of bushland and mangroves against the azure sky. Unfortunately some of our elected representatives do not seem to get it, that our environment is precious, essential to human and animal wellbeing and cannot be trashed or abused without consequences. I am positive that common sense and financial reality will eventually allow our green resources to be used for the renewable benefit of all and not just short term gain for the privileged few. National tree week is in July celebrate it, at a tree planting or walk, details in the Newsletter After a visit to the beach, it's hard to believe that we live in a material world - Pam Shaw WPSQ Southern Branches Get Together & AGM Friday 12 th to 14 th September Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Southern Branches Get Together (SBGT) & AGM will be held on Friday 12 to Sunday 14 September 2014, Venue is Ramada Couran Cove Island Resort situated on South Stradbroke Island, where they offer peaceful seclusion just fifteen minutes from the hustle and bustle of Gold Coast s Surfers Paradise. Invitation to D art a 18 August :00pm to 7:30pm, Presentations 5:45pm 7:00pm Ground Floor, Commissariat Store, 115 William Street, Brisbane Featuring historical and contemporary perspectives of Brisbane River and Moreton Bay Mangroves set amid an exhibition of mangrove themed art and interactive displays. Wine, Cheese and light refreshments will be served. IndigiScapes Bushcare Trees for Weeds Saturday 2 August, IndigiScapes nursery From 10am to 4pm the native plant nursery will be open to purchase plants and bushcare staff will be on hand all day to give free weed advice! Throughout the day you can swap shopping bag of weeds for free native plants (up to 5 plants per person only). This year s focus weeds are Mexican Petunia, Madeira Vine, Indian Hawthorn and Purple Succulent. Photo credit: projectgreenbag.com

3 FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR AUSTRALIAN ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE Information from A strong ecosystem science enterprise is vital for securing Australian ecosystems in the face of growing pressures. Foundations for the future: a long-term plan for Australian ecosystem science defines the vision, key directions and priorities for a national ecosystem science capability that will enable Australia to understand and effectively manage its ecosystems for decades to come Key Directions Delivering maximum impact for Australia: enhancing relationships between scientists and end users Supporting long-term research Enabling ecosystem surveillance Making the most of data resources Inspiring a generation: empowering the public with knowledge and opportunities Facilitating coordination, collaboration and leadership The Plan Our natural and managed ecosystems form the world we live, play and work in; the settings for our industry; and the distinctive natural heritage that characterises the Australian nation. They are the basis of our current and future prosperity, and our national wellbeing. However, growing human populations, continuing habitat loss, moving climate zones and increasing global competition for resources are applying unprecedented and cumulative pressures to Australian ecosystems. A strong and sustainable Australian ecosystem science enterprise is vital for understanding and securing these ecosystems in the face of current and future challenges. Foundations for the future: a long-term plan for Australian ecosystem science defines the vision, key directions and priorities for a national ecosystem science capability that will enable Australia to understand and effectively manage its ecosystems for decades to come. Developed collaboratively through extensive national consultation across , the document was officially launched on 15 July Follow the links below to read the Plan. You can also browse this website to find more information about the development of the Plan, the key directions identified in the Plan, and ways to get involved as the Plan is implemented. You can also sign up to receive updates about the Plan The Vision The vision guiding the development of Foundations for the future is that: in twenty years' time the status of Australian ecosystems and how they change will be widely reported and understood, and the prosperity and wellbeing they provide will be secure. To enable this, Australia's national ecosystem science capability will be coordinated, collaborative, and connected. Knowledge from ecosystem science will be available and essential to government, industry, the general public, and for research and educational institutions. The underlying theme of Foundations for the future is that excellent science supports a range of activities, including public engagement, that enable us to understand and maintain healthy ecosystems. Those healthy ecosystems are the cornerstone of our social and economic wellbeing: Get more information here. Read the full plan here. 7/sites/1250/user_uploads/File/Foundations %20for%20the%20future_web.pdf

4 Endangered Species, Endangered Future Wild creatures of the tropics are being lost before they re found Mark Ziembicki With smoke from forest fires filling the air and a chainsaw roaring in the distance, a Huon tree kangaroo clambers anxiously above us in the tree-tops. Will this spectacular animal an endangered inhabitant of New Guinea s highland rainforests have a home in the future? A tree kangaroo at the Bronx Zoo, New York. Will zoos be the only place to see them in future? Young men at a village ceremony in Papua New Guinea wearing traditional costumes, including headbands made of tree kangaroo tails. These endearing animals, along with other local wildlife, are of great cultural importance to the local indigenous people and have sustained people living in the region for thousands of years. But their numbers are dwindling, as the pressures of a rapidly growing human population, habitat loss and over-hunting have taken a severe toll. Across the tropical world, wildlife are facing similar perils. The Tropics account for 40% of the Earth s surface area, but host more than 80% of its terrestrial biodiversity, 21 of 35 global biodiversity hotspots (threatened areas with unusually high diversity and many unique species), and more than 90% of the planet s coral and mangrove diversity. Much of this extraordinary natural diversity is in danger. The new State of the Tropics Report found that for all major groups assessed, the Tropics have the highest number of threatened species. Some regions have more species at risk than others, with especially high numbers under threat in tropical Asia, the Amazon and island nations. Threatened animals and plants across the Tropics. State of the Tropics Report 2014Click to enlarge Threats to tropical biodiversity Species in the Tropics are inherently more vulnerable to changes in their environment because they tend to occupy small geographic ranges, be naturally rarer and be specialised to deal with a narrow range of environmental conditions. Found in Borneo s rainforests, the Western Tarsier is threatened by logging, conversion of forests into palm oil plantations, and trapping for the illegal pet trade. Tropical biodiversity is affected by a range of threats, often acting in different combinations to affect species differently. Habitat loss and degradation are among the most significant. Average annual change in primary forest cover in the Tropics in the ten years to The loss of forests is particularly concerning, as they are home to so many species. Although deforestation rates have slowed in most tropical regions since 2000, losses remain large and are ongoing. Most are due to land use change, including conversion of forests to agriculture and resource extraction, particularly from forestry and mining. The establishment of new transport networks associated with such activities, especially roads, also opens up large areas to other destructive impacts such as hunting and illegal logging, as well as facilitating the spread of introduced species. But the threats to tropical animals and plants aren t just happening on land. Wild marine catch in the Tropics and worldwide. Exploitation of marine food resources in the Tropics has grown rapidly over the past 60 years, due to greater demand for seafood from a growing and increasingly wealthy population, as well as increased fishing by international ships. Threats to coral reef systems have also increased, with more than half the world s reefs considered to be at medium or high risk of damage. Continue to Read at Mark Ziembicki/markzphoto.com Like many animals in the tropics, tree kangaroos are facing threats to their survival in the wild.

5 Glossy Black-Cockatoo Illegal bird smuggling and egg collecting The Glossy Black-Cockatoo[Calyptorhynchus lathami] is Clearing of habitat for development endemic to Australia - meaning they are only found How you can help the Glossy Black Cockatoo? here and nowhere else in the world - and are listed as Report Sightings on the Glossy Black Conservancy vulnerable in Queensland and NSW, threatened in website database Victoria and endangered in South Australia. Protect existing known nesting sites These beautiful birds are found in the eastern and Plant to increase habitat and feed trees south-eastern regions of Australia with three Retain and protect existing habitat subspecies being recognised. The most widespread of Reduce the impact of fires and burning in known these subspecies,c. I. Iathami, can be found in habitat areas Queensland, New South Wales and Vitoria, while Establish habitat corridors in developed areas another, C.I.erebus, occurs in central Queensland. The Report illegal animal poaching final subspecies, C.I.halmaturinus, occurs as an isolated population on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Why so Vulnerable? Glossy Black-Cockatoos (glossies) are very fussy birds ad have specific habitat requirements 1. Old Trees with large hollows for nesting: 2. Feed Trees 3. Watering Hole: Human Impacts on the Black Glossy Cockatoo: Loss of tree hollows Loss of feed trees Fires s/pages/glossy-black-cockatoo.aspx Trophy hunters banned from bringing home rhino parts as MP Jason Wood fights 'barbaric' canned hunting Mark Simkin and Latika Bourke Australians who travel overseas to hunt rhinoceroses will no longer be allowed to bring home their slaughter. The Federal Government has issued a ban on all rhino body parts being imported into the country in response to a backbencher's campaign against canned hunting. Canned hunting is a legal practice where animals like lions and rhinos are bred and farmed overseas for the sole purpose of being hunted in captivity. Environment Minister Greg Hunt has told the ABC the Government does not believe animal trophies killed in canned hunts should be allowed into Australia. "It's just not right at this time in history that we are allowing endangered species to be brought back as trophies into Australia," he said. "I've signed an order, we're taking action - it's going to stop." Mr Hunt says he has started a process to have the ban applied to African lions. More than 100 lion parts including entire stuffed bodies, paws and skulls have been imported since Mr Hunt says canned hunting is a practice that would not sit comfortably with most Australians. "The process of really capturing or raising animals and then having them in a compound where they can't run they can't hide, they don't have a fair chance, doesn't really fit with the fair go ethos of this country let alone the broader issues of humane treatment of animals," he said. Continue reading this article. Food for thought While the banning of importation of endangered species is a great move towards securing the future of these species, it is also important to understand that hunting in many respects has its benefits. A lot of attention has been given to horrifying images of trophy hunters and those who partake in canned hunting in social media in the past weeks. However, I have experienced some of the hunting lodges and game reserves first hand around Kruger National Park in South Africa and in the northern part of the country, and believe that there is some merit to these practises. Hunting injects a significant amount of money into conservation in South Africa. Without that income, conservation of many other species would not be possible. In saying this, there a lot of places which do not enforce ethical standards, and to this end, animals should not be treated cruelly. The issue is much larger and far more complicated than portrayed in the media, and before you form an opinion you do your research, there are a lot of sides to this story.

6 Resources Page 1: Page 3: Page 4: Page Page 4/5: Photo Credit A Baltais, Elabana Falls, Lamington National Park, Committee & Contacts President Steve Homewood V President Vacant Secretary Simon Baltais Treasurer Executive Maureen Tottenham Don Baxter Doreen Payne Bayside Newsletter Editor Wildlife Diary Editor Alix Baltais/Simon Baltais Simon Baltais bayside@wildlife.org.au Web: Blogs: SeagrassWatch Keep Up to Date Online! Wildlife Bayside Curlew Watch Websites: Wildlife Bayside MangroveWatch SeagrassWatch Ornate Rainbowfish Membership Application Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Memberships Types $30.00 Single Concession (Pensioner/Full Student) $45.00 Family or Non Profit Group $12.50 Junior Optional Wildlife Magazine Subscription $47.00 per year inc GST (Four Issues) $90 for 2 years inc GST (Eight Issues) $70.00 per year (International Post) $135 for 2 years (International Post) Optional Donation $ For Campaign (Bayside does not tax deductible status) Name Address P/C Phone No Special Interests Pay by Credit Card Card Type: VISA Mastercard Card No Exp Date / Name on Card Signature Postal address: PO Box 427, Capalaba 4157 Forward to WPSQ Bayside, PO Box 427, Capalaba Q 4157