What is happening?
- The BNW Trust has recently joined the global Alliance for Zero Extinction (www.zeroextinction.org). AZE, "a global initiative of biodiversity conservation organizations, aims to prevent extinctions by identifying and safegaurding key sites where species are in imminent danger of dissappearing. The goal of the Alliance is to create a front line of defence against extinction by eliminating threats and restoring habitat to allow species populations to rebound." The bridled nailtail wallaby population at Taunton is now identified at a global level as being in imminent danger of extinction. This assessment demonstrates the serious predicament of the species. It is important to note that this assessment was made independently of the BNW Trust.
- The latest census data for bridled nailtail wallabies suggest that the species is now verging on extinction in the wild. The Taunton population is now only approximately 80 individuals, Avocet approximately 40. The population at Idalia is unknown, but thought to be very small. Avocet is a translocated population; Taunton was originally around 1200 animals, but has declined drastically since the reserve was declared. The Trust is pushing for answers as to how this was allowed to happen. Unfortunately the species now meets the Federal Government and the IUCN criteria to be listed as Critically Endangered. Urgent, scientifically sound counter-measures are needed to boost populations. To put it in context, there are possibly 5 times as many Giant Pandas in the world compared with BNTs in Queensland....
- A captive-breeding facility for the species has gained EPA approval. Project Kial, run by Australian Animals Care & Education Inc (www.aace.org.au/projectkial.htm), is in Marlborough, Qld, and should provide a important boost to the diminishing populations on all reserves in Queensland. If you want to help one of the world's most endangered mammals, contact Tina Janssen - they run a volunteer program that takes people from all over the world. Financial help would also be very welcome....
- The Trust, in conjunction with Hunting and Conservation Qld, has been awarded $22 000 by the Threatened Species Network. The funds will be used to purchase 90 cat traps and electronic callers for permanent use on Avocet. Avocet reserve is now the most intensively managed Flashjack site in Queensland.
- Macmillan Publishing (Australia), contacted the Trust to gather information as part of a series of children's books on Australian wildlife. The BNW Trust will be acknowledged in the publications, promoting the Trust and its work even further!
- The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (www.fnpw.org.au), based in New South Wales, funded Lisa Kingsley from the University of Queensland to undertake an MSc at Avocet reserve to ascertain the success of the translocation program. The Trust hopes to continue working closely with FNPW.
- A French TV station, filming a documentary about endangered animals in Australia for French networks and National Geographic, has approached the Trust to participate in the documentary. The film-makers are interested in understanding what has happened to the populations over recent years, and the current state of play.
- Totally Wild, the childrens TV program on Channel 10, spent a couple of days and nights filming the activites undertaken on Avocet to conserve the wallabies. Fiachra, the Chair of the Board, was the 'talent' (as it is apparently called in the world of TV and film). While we had some fabulous interactions with the wildlife that was captured on film, some of the animals only appeared after the film crew had left. One example was this Brown Tree snake - Bryan Siebel photographed Fiachra 'making friends'. The Totally Wild stories were aired in June.
- The BNW Trust is continuing to push for coordination of bridled nailtail wallaby conservation. Currently several organisations and groups are working to conserve the animal, but with little cooperation between them. This has been the situation for many years now, and as a result the situation for the species is becoming more and more precarious. The Trust believes that unless widespread cooperation is seen between the government and NGO sectors the Flashjacks will soon become extinct in the wild. Any action must address all sub-populations in Queensland and New South Wales.