Page 1979 - Week 05 - Thursday, 16 May 2019
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It should be noted that one of the greatest challenges for conservation in Australia is how we reintroduce animals into an environment where there are predators like foxes. This trial has helped further this understanding, providing ecologists information to strengthen efforts to conserve native animals.
Attachment A
Purpose
1. To inform you of the trial release of Eastern Bettongs to the Lower Cotter Catchment.
Background
2. Following the successful reintroduction of Eastern Bettongs to Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, planning is underway for a trial release of bettongs to an unfenced wild site. The Lower Cotter Catchment has been selected as the most suitable site for the first wild release. The project will adopt an adaptive approach, with a series of small trial releases planned. These releases will assess under what conditions a viable population of wild Eastern Bettongs can survive (such as the minimum amount of feral predator control that is required).
3. Environment and Planning Directorate (EPD) Parks and Conservation Service and Conservation Research team have partnered the project with the Australian National University (ANU) and the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust.
4. A core release area and a surrounding buffer zone have been identified. Intensive fox baiting and monitoring began in these areas over 12 months ago and will continue after the bettongs are released.
Issues
5. Twelve bettongs will be released into the core area over two nights. On 8 August 2016, EPD is scheduled to release six bettongs at one site. These will be intensely monitored and an additional six bettongs will be released at the same site two weeks later (22 August 2016).
6. All animals will be fitted with tracking collars. Survivorship and health of the bettongs will be monitored after release. If the bettongs persist, more are likely to be released in early 2017. If they do not, depending on the reasons why, other management programs will be deployed before more bettongs are released, for example, additional fox baiting or specific dog or cat baiting.
7. The results of Phase 1 will inform Phase 2 of the project, which involves broad scale release of bettongs into this and other ACT sites. Phase 2 of the project is the subject of a further ANU Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Grant application, the result of which will not be known until November 2016. Phase 1 results will also provide useful information for the reintroduction of other species in the future.
8. A scientific licence application has been submitted by ANU for the first trial release of 12-14 bettongs and the project is approved by the ANU ethics committee.
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