Leading conservation group working to restore populations of endangered cockatoos across the South West

The South West’s leading conservation group has been given the thumbs-up to expand its cockatoo conservation work in the South West.

The recent appointment of the South West Natural Resource Management as the leading environmental organisation in the region means it has been able to secure Federal Government to continue and expand its ongoing conservation work for critically endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoos.

This continued work goes in hand with the group’s work to protect western swamp tortoises and white-bellied frogs announced earlier this month as part of a no new extinctions push from the Federal Government.

The NRM’s new project will see it expand the research conducted through a 2020-2023 case study.

South West NRM chief executive Manda Page said it had already proved invaluable in understanding the breeding behaviours of Carnaby’s black cockatoos and informed the group’s next steps.

“Key threats like climate change and introduced predators continue to grow, so dedicated resources are needed for recovery actions on private land that will complement the work on public protected areas,” she said.

“Lack of food remains a threat for the entire migratory population of Carnaby’s cockatoos, and continues to be compounded by issues like land clearing and our warming climate which last summer saw huge swathes of vegetation across the State turn brown and die off due to record high temperatures and below-average rainfall.

“Threatened species, like the Carnaby’s cockatoo simply don’t recognise our boundaries.

“Through 20ha of revegetation plus protection of 176ha of remnant vegetation by installing 23km of fencing to exclude livestock, we’ve made good inroads on enhancing future food sources near nesting sites to support breeding.

“Under this new project, we’ll expand on that process over the next four years with additional monitoring and revegetation works.”

Dr Page said preliminary project planning and engagement had begun, with the first on-ground activities starting in the coming weeks.

Carnaby’s black cockatoos have been listed as endangered since 1999, and the NRM is working within the guidelines of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ Carnaby’s cockatoo recovery plan from 2013, though Dr Page said it could take decades for the birds’ population to stabilise.

“Recovery for this species is a process that will take many decades of co-ordinated, broad-scale action, so we have to take a long-game perspective on these activities,” Dr Page said.