Koala populations across parts of Australia are on track to become extinct before 2050 unless "urgent government intervention" occurs. Mathias Appel / Flickr
Koala populations across parts of Australia are on track to become extinct before 2050 unless "urgent government intervention" occurs, warns a year-long inquiry into Australia's "most loved animal." The report published by the Parliament of New South Wales (NSW) paints a "stark and depressing snapshot" of koalas in Australia's southeastern state.
<p>"Even before the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires, it was clear that the koala in NSW, already a threatened species, was in significant trouble," says the <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/2536/Koala%20populations%20and%20habitat%20in%20New%20South%20Wales%20-%20Report%203.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>, adding that previous population estimates counting 36,000 individuals were "outdated and unreliable."</p><p>"Then came the fires. With at least 5,000 koalas lost in the fires, potentially many more, it was deeply distressing but extremely important for committee members to agree to the finding that koalas will become extinct in NSW before 2050 without urgent government intervention."</p>
<p>At least 5,000 animals were lost in the 2019 bushfires responsible for killing more than <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/australia-wildfire-deaths-2644394434.html" target="_self">1 billion animals</a>. Conservation groups <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/koalas-extinction-wildfires-australia-2645408622.html?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2" target="_self">warned</a> of the possible extinction in March after projections that the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildfires">wildfires</a> resulted in the loss of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/koala-rescue-fire-australia-2641408117.html" target="_self">80 percent of habitat</a>, forcing the charismatic marsupials into "<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/koalas-functionally-extinct-fires-2641450078.html" target="_self">functional extinction</a>."</p><p>Endemic only to the eucalyptus forests in the southeastern and eastern parts of the continent, koalas rely on the trees for both habitat and food, according to <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/k/koala/#:~:text=Koalas%20live%20in%20the%20eucalyptus%20forests%20of%20southeastern%20and%20eastern%20Australia." target="_blank">National Geographic</a>. They are threatened by the destruction of habitat through the clearing and fragmentation of their unique habitat, which is further exacerbated by <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a> and ongoing <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drought">drought</a> conditions that have plagued the region for years.</p>
<p>As part of their analysis, the independent committee received more than 5,700 responses and 300 submissions, in addition to nine public hearings and site visitations across several locations. Philip Spark, a wildlife ecologist, warned in the report that successive extreme events in the past had reduced one koala population by as much as half and pushed another to local extinction.</p><p>"With the trees dying and the streams drying there is a recipe for disaster. Koalas are really on the brink of not surviving," said Spark. "A crisis can happen with very little warning."</p>
<p>Citing a report published by the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a>, Sparks added that by 2050, one in 100-year events are expected to occur every year with 50-degree Celsius heatwaves in the next 20 years. The committee further found that climate change has a severe impact on koalas and not only affects the quality of their food and habitat, but also compounds the "severity and threats of other impacts, such as <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drought">drought</a> and bushfires."</p>
<p>The committee made 42 recommendations to ensure the future of the koala, including prioritizing the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a> of koala habitat, establishing more thorough approaches to monitoring koala numbers, and allocating additional resources and funding to conservation projects by calling on the government to protect and restore koala habitat on both public and private land. The report also notes that officials should investigate "without delay" the establishment of the <a href="https://koalapark.org.au/" target="_blank">Great Koala National Park</a>, a proposed public conservation area dedicated to protecting the species. An interim report on Australia's national environmental laws is expected this week and is expected to consider the findings that Australia's iconic species is in need of assistance, reports <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/30/koalas-will-be-driven-to-extinction-by-2050-in-nsw-major-inquiry-finds" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p>
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Wildflowers blooming in box gum grassy woodland. Jacqui Stol, Author provided
By Jacqui Stol, Annie Kelly and Suzanne Prober
In box gum grassy woodlands, widely spaced eucalypts tower over carpets of wildflowers, lush native grasses and groves of flowering wattles. It's no wonder some early landscape paintings depicting Australian farm life are inspired by this ecosystem.
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<p>But box gum grassy woodlands are <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/conservation-advices/white-box-yellow-box-blakely%27s-red-gum-grassy-woodlands-derived-native-grasslands" target="_blank">critically endangered</a>. These woodlands grow on highly productive agricultural country, from southern Queensland, along inland slopes and tablelands, into Victoria.</p><p>Many are degraded or cleared for farming. As a result, <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/be2ff840-7e59-48b0-9eb5-4ad003d01481/files/box-gum.pdf" target="_blank">less than 5% of the woodlands</a> remain in good condition. What remains often grows on private land such as farms, and public lands such as cemeteries or traveling stock routes.</p><p><a href="https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/download?pid=csiro:EP154278&dsid=DS4" target="_blank">Very little is protected</a> in public conservation reserves. And the recent drought and record breaking heat caused these woodlands to stop growing and flowering.</p><p>But after Queensland's recent <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/archive.jsp?colour=colour&map=totals&year=2020&month=3&period=3month&area=qd" target="_blank">drought-breaking rain</a> earlier this year, we surveyed private farmland and found many dried-out woodlands in the northernmost areas transformed into flower-filled, park-like landscapes.</p><p>And landholders even came across rarely seen marsupials, such as the southern spotted-tail quoll.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNzQyOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTE4NDQzMX0.ndrTis2Yzw9J1MdKek84AlFuTP_k5LZR7UItOm-fZGc/img.jpg?width=980" id="ebb80" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5afae467aca80b3eb469d18175c7cc17" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Native yellow wildflowers called 'scaly buttons' bloom on a stewardship site. Jacqui Stol, Author provided
Huge Increase in Plant Diversity
<p>These surveys were part of the Australian government's <a href="http://www.nrm.gov.au/national/continuing-investment/environmental-stewardship" target="_blank">Environmental Stewardship Program</a>, a long-term cooperative conservation model with private landholders. It started in 2007 and will run for 19 years.</p><p>We found huge increases in previously declining native wildflowers and grasses on the private farmland. Many trees assumed to be dying began resprouting, such as McKie's stringybark (<em>Eucalyptus mckieana</em>), which is listed as a <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=20199" target="_blank">vulnerable species</a>.</p><p>This newfound plant diversity is the result of seeds and tubers (underground storage organs providing energy and nutrients for regrowth) lying dormant in the soil after wildflowers bloomed in earlier seasons. The dormant seeds and tubers were ready to spring into life with the right seasonal conditions.</p><p><span></span>For example, <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/plants/herbarium" target="_blank">Queensland Herbarium</a> surveys early last year, during the drought, looked at a 20 meter (65 feet) by 20 meter plot and found only six native grass and wildflower species on one property. After this year's rain, we found 59 species in the same plot, including many species of perennial grass (three species jumped to 20 species post rain), native bluebells and many species of native daisies.</p><p>On another property with only 11 recorded species, more than 60 species sprouted after the extensive rains.</p><p>In areas where grazing and farming continued as normal (the paired "control" sites), the plots had only around half the number of plant species as areas managed for conservation.</p>Spotting Rare Marsupials
<p>Landowners also reported several unusual sightings of animals on their farms after the rains. Stewardship program surveyors later identified them as two species of rare and endangered native carnivorous marsupials: the southern spotted-tailed quoll (mainland Australia's largest carnivorous marsupial) and the brush-tailed <a href="https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:b6930f29-3f26-415e-a760-c12c320c2931" target="_blank">phascogale</a>.</p><p>The population status of both these species in southern Queensland is unknown. The brush-tailed phascogale is elusive and rarely detected, while the southern spotted-tailed quolls are listed as <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=75184" target="_blank">endangered</a> under federal legislation.</p><p>Until those sightings, there were no recent records of southern spotted-tailed quolls in the local area.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNzQyOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODM0MzIzMn0.pMTp9_6GjFFC8U7m3OV8L-ZuiRYpKAbjILNwBoql0VM/img.jpg?width=980" id="34656" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0444b5ddde89407d8fac735c1110afcc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
A spotted tailed quoll caught in a camera trap. Sean Fitzgibbon, Author provided
<p>These unusual wildlife sightings are valuable for monitoring and evaluation. They tell us what's thriving, declining or surviving, compared to the first surveys for the stewardship program ten years ago.</p><p>Sightings are also a promising signal for the improving condition of the property and its surrounding landscape.</p>Changing Farm Habits
<p>More than 200 farmers signed up to the stewardship program for the conservation and management of nationally threatened ecological communities on private lands. Most have said they're keen to continue the partnership.</p><p>The landholders are funded to manage their farms as part of the stewardship program <a href="http://nrmonline.nrm.gov.au/catalog/mql:2407" target="_blank">in ways</a> that will help the woodlands recover, and help reverse declines in biodiversity.</p><p>For example, by changing the number of livestock grazing at any one time, and shortening their grazing time, many of the grazing-sensitive wildflowers have a better chance to germinate, grow, flower and produce seeds in the right seasonal conditions.</p><p>They can also manage weeds, and not remove fallen timber or loose rocks (bushrock). Fallen timber and rocks protect grazing-sensitive plants and provide habitat for birds, reptiles and invertebrates foraging on the ground.</p>Cautious Optimism
<p>So can we be optimistic for the future of wildlife and wildflowers of the box gum grassy woodlands? Yes, cautiously so.</p><p>Landholders are learning more about how best to manage biodiversity on their farms, but ecological recovery can take time. In any case, we've discovered how resilient our flora and fauna can be in the face of severe drought when given the opportunity to grow and flourish.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNzQzMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTc0MTI2OH0.VpRVICeH1bpaokXK20ESVqFL3__B-RCyBzhk0gGSgM8/img.jpg?width=980" id="f7fb8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c2da30c9e7ccc774444d7f57c4c38009" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
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<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacqui-stol-1124670" target="_blank">Jacqui Stol</a> is a </em><em>Senior Experimental Scientist, Ecologist, CSIRO Land and Water, CSIRO.</em>
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<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/annie-kelly-1128826" target="_blank">Annie Kelly</a> is a </em><em>Senior Ecologist, Queensland Herbarium.<br/>
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<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/suzanne-prober-1128431" target="_blank">Suzanne Prober</a> is a </em><em><em>Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO.</em></em>
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<em><em></em>Disclosure statement: </em><em>Jacqui Stol works for the CSIRO, which receives funding and was contracted by the Australian Government for the Environmental Stewardship Program. </em><em>Annie Kelly works for the Queensland Herbarium, which receives funding and was contracted by the Australian Government for the Environmental Stewardship Program. </em><em><em>Suzanne Prober works for CSIRO, which receives funding from the Australian Government to undertake monitoring for the Environmental Stewardship Program.</em></em>
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<em><em></em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-drought-breaking-rains-transformed-these-critically-endangered-woodlands-into-a-flower-filled-vista-140638" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><iframe height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/140638/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1"></iframe>The rare hooded robin has also been recorded on stewardship sites during surveys. Micah Davies, Author provided
<p>Climate change is bringing more extreme weather events. Last year was the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/aus/" target="_blank">warmest on record</a> and the nation has been gripped by severe, protracted drought. There's only so much pressure our iconic wildlife and wildflowers can take before they cross ecological thresholds that are difficult to bounce back from.</p><p>More government programs like this, and greater understanding and collaboration between scientists and farmers, create a <a href="https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/download?pid=csiro:EP154278&dsid=DS4" target="_blank">tremendous opportunity</a> to keep changing that trajectory for the better.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Cats Wreak Havoc on Native Wildlife, but We’ve Found One Adorable Species Outsmarting Them
16 June
Animals
The long-nosed potoroo may have developed strategies to avoid prowling cats. Dave Catchpole / CC BY 2.0
By Euan Ritchie, Amy Coetsee, Anthony Rendall, Tim Doherty and Vivianna Miritis
Feral and pet cats are responsible for a huge part of Australia's shameful mammal extinction record. Small and medium-sized ground-dwelling mammals are most susceptible.
<p>But we've found one mammal in particular that can outsmart cats and live alongside them: the long-nosed potoroo.</p><p>These miniature kangaroo-like marsupials are <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=66645" target="_blank">officially listed as vulnerable</a>. And after the recent devastating fires, extensive swathes of their habitat in southeastern Australia were severely burnt, leaving them <a href="https://theconversation.com/hunter-hunted-when-the-world-catches-on-fire-how-do-predators-respond-126280" target="_blank">more exposed to predators</a> such as foxes and cats. But the true extent of the impact on their numbers remains unclear.</p>
<p>Amid the devastation, our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/WR19202" target="_blank">new study</a> is reason to be optimistic.</p><p>Using motion-sensing camera traps on the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a> haven of <a href="https://www.visitmelbourne.com/regions/mornington-peninsula/things-to-do/nature-and-wildlife/national-parks-and-reserves/french-island-national-park" target="_blank">French Island</a> – which is free of foxes, but not cats – we found potoroos may have developed strategies to avoid prowling cats, such as hiding in dense vegetation.</p><p>If these long-nosed potoroos can co-exist with one of the world's most deadly predators, then it's time we rethink our <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a> strategies.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM5ODAyNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwODM4NzUwN30.TFy8fOUpIHibMo8jiA0RmvA_vjNA8QYXOIgYDKyiybo/img.jpg?width=980" id="70bd8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2f7efec2b09e9df39e92e666798f498e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Long-nosed potoroos are a bit like mini kangaroos, but spend much of their time digging for fungi. Zoos Victoria
<h3>Surviving Cats With a Deadly Game of Hide and Seek</h3><p>We conservatively estimated that between five and 14 cats lived in our study area (but it takes <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-cat-one-year-110-native-animals-lock-up-your-pet-its-a-killing-machine-138412" target="_blank">only one cat</a> to eradicate a population of native animals).</p><p>Although cats were common here, we detected them less often in areas of dense vegetation. By contrast, this was where we found potoroos more often.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM5Nzk5OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NzE1NTAwNH0.Ov-J2Ev09EKtQihUlVrwqato8BkjwHHLjGyjBed0KGg/img.jpg?width=980" id="72169" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f51eb57f22ef37850e5021cfb5ed1865" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
French Island's thick vegetation provides potoroos with critical refuge to evade feral cats. Vivianna Miritis
<p>Long-nosed potoroos are nocturnal foragers that mainly, but not exclusively, feed in more open habitat before sheltering in dense vegetation during the day. But we found potoroos rarely ventured out of their thick vegetation shelter.</p><p>This may be because they're trading off potentially higher quality foraging habitat in more open areas against higher predation risk. In other words, it appears they've effectively learnt to hide from the cats.</p><p>Another intriguing result from our study was that although potoroos and feral cats shared more than half of their activity time, the times of peak activity for each species differed.<br></p><p>Cats were active earlier in the night, while potoroo activity peaked three to four hours later. This might be another potoroo strategy to avoid becoming a cat's evening meal.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM5ODAwMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDcwNzY4OH0.iRn5y6xhnl6xeyua6mIwvL0OwZKGqEswsPy64izi4PM/img.jpg?width=980" id="c4365" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="01caa00879333b92b2bf24b53f6bce2b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Temporal activity of cats and long-nosed potoroos for winter and summer, on French Island, Victoria. Their overlap is represented by the area shaded in grey. Modified from Miritis et al. (2020).
<p>Still, completely avoiding cats isn't possible. Our study site was in the national park on French Island, and it's likely cats saturate this remnant patch of long-nosed potoroo habitat.</p><p>It's also possible cats may be actively searching for potoroos as prey, and indeed some of our camera images showed cats carrying young long-nosed potoroos in their mouths. These potoroos were more likely killed by these cats, rather than scavenged.</p>
<h3>Cats Are Expert Hunters</h3><p>Cats are exceedingly difficult to manage effectively. They're adaptable, elusive and have a preference for live prey.</p><p>The two most common <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mam.12080" target="_blank">management practices for feral cats</a> are lethal control and exclusion fencing. Lethal control needs to be intensive and conducted over large areas to benefit threatened species.</p><p>And outside of predator-free sanctuaries, it must be ongoing. If control stops, <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12251" target="_blank">cats can reinvade from surrounding areas</a>.<br></p><p>"<a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/wr17172" target="_blank">Safe havens</a>" – created through the use of exclusion fencing or predator-free islands – can overcome some of these challenges. But while exclusion fencing is highly effective, it can create other bad outcomes, including an over-abundance of herbivores, leading to <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/am/am15040" target="_blank">excessive grazing of vegetation</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM5ODAwNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNDgxMTkyN30.F4xNclFGjetlgKNzuEbAC6QWNRLEesPGgaZ3vg6zi2c/img.jpg?width=980" id="238bb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f9ae62e85daefe21325c18434edefa28" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Camera traps can tell us a lot about how introduced predators and native wildlife interact. Zoos Victoria and Deakin University
<p>Fencing and islands can result in native animals <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0222" target="_blank">rapidly losing their anti-predator behavior</a>. This can limit the success of <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/am/AM15020" target="_blank">reintroducing</a> them to areas outside predator-free havens.</p><p>In any case, removing introduced predators might not be really necessary in places native species can co-exist. If long-nosed potoroos have learnt to live with feral cats, we should instead focus on how to maintain their survival strategies.</p>
<h3>Why Cat Eradication Isn't Always the Best Option</h3><p>It's clear cats are here to stay, so we shouldn't simply fall back largely on predator eradication or predator-free havens as the only way to ensure our wildlife have a fighting chance at long-term survival.</p><p>Yes, for some species, it's vital to keep feral predators away. But for others like long-nosed potoroos, conserving and creating <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320715002086" target="_blank">suitable habitat and different vegetation densities</a> may be the best way to keep them alive.</p><p>But perhaps most important is having predator-savvy insurance populations, such as long-nosed potoroos on French Island. This is incredibly valuable for one day moving them to other areas where predators – native or feral – are present, such as nearby Phillip Island.<br></p><p>In the absence of predators, native wildlife can rapidly lose their ability to recognize predator danger. Programs aimed at eradicating introduced predators where they're co-existing with native species need to pay careful attention to this.</p>
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<em>Euan Ritchie is an associate professor in wildlife ecology and conservation at the Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University.<br/>
<span style="background-color: initial;">Amy Coetsee is a t</span>hreatened species biologist at the University of Melbourne.<br/>
<span style="background-color: initial;">Anthony Rendall is an a</span>ssociate lecturer in conservation biology at Deakin University.<br/>
<span style="background-color: initial;">Tim Doherty is an </span>ARC DECRA fellow at the University of Sydney.<br/>
<span style="background-color: initial;">Vivianna Miritis is a </span>Ph.D. candidate at the</em><em> University of Sydney.</em>
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<em>Disclosure statements: Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council, The Australia and Pacific Science Foundation, Australian Geographic, Parks Victoria, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. <br/>
Euan Ritchie is a director (Media Working Group) of the Ecological Society of Australia, and a member of the Australian Mammal Society.<br/>
Amy Coetsee is employed by Zoos Victoria, a not-for-profit zoo-based conservation organization and is a member of the Australian Mammal Society.<br/>
Anthony Rendall is a member of the Australian Mammal Society.<br/>
Tim Doherty receives funding from the Hermon Slade Foundation, NSW Environment Trust, Australian Academy of Science and Australian Research Council. He is a board member for the Society for Conservation Biology Oceania and a member of the Ecological Society of Australia.<br/>
</em><em>Vivianna Miritis is a member of the Ecological Society of Australia, Australian Mammal Society, and Royal Zoological Society of NSW.</em>
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<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/cats-wreak-havoc-on-native-wildlife-but-weve-found-one-adorable-species-outsmarting-them-132265" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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Amazing Drone Footage Captures Thousands of Turtles Migrating Near Great Barrier Reef
12 June
Animals
Australian researchers captured a stunning scene that looks like something out of Finding Nemo. The drone the scientists used recorded approximately 64,000 green turtles migrating near Australia's Great Barrier Reef for nesting season, as CNN reported.
<p>The footage from the Queensland Government's Department of Environment and Science (DES) spotted the turtles congregating at the world's largest green turtle rookery at Raine Island, a vegetated coral cay approximately 385 miles northwest of Cairns in Queensland, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/09/world/green-turtle-drone-nesting-intl-scli-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>.</p><p>The sheer number of turtles surprised the scientists who realized they had underestimated the number of green turtles in the area by 50 percent, according to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAVk4jvWzDw" target="_blank">Voice of America's YouTube</a> post showing the footage.</p>
<p>"We were underestimating that a lot. We're finding 1.73 times as many turtles with the drone ... when we directly compare with the observer counts," Dr. Andrew Dunstan, from the DES, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/09/world/green-turtle-drone-nesting-intl-scli-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> Tuesday, adding that the team can now go back and adjust historic population estimates.</p><p>Prior to using drones, researchers would count turtles as they landed on the beach to lay eggs. They would then mark the turtles with a non-toxic paint to track them in the ocean. However, accurately counting thousands of painted and unpainted turtles from a boat in the water proved difficult and unreliable, according to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAVk4jvWzDw" target="_blank">Voice of America</a> post.</p>
<p>Using a drone is easier, safer, much more accurate, and the data can be immediately and permanently stored," Dunstan, senior research scientist and lead author of a paper about the turtles published in PLOS ONE on Thursday, said in a <a href="https://www.des.qld.gov.au/our-department/news-media/mediareleases/drone-technology-helps-count-turtles-gbr" target="_blank">statement</a>, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/09/world/green-turtle-drone-nesting-intl-scli-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>"What previously took a number of researchers a long time can now be by one drone operator in under an hour," said researcher Richard Fitzpatrick from the Biopixel Oceans Foundation, as <a href="https://www.prevention.com/life/a32839141/sea-turtles-australia-raine-island-drone-video/" target="_blank">Prevention</a> reported.</p><p>Green sea turtles are a <a href="https://environment.des.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/vulnerable/green-turtle" target="_blank">vulnerable species</a> in Queensland since they are hunted for their flesh and eggs, are often trapped in trawler fishing nets, and choke on discarded plastic bags, according to the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/drone-footage-shows-twice-the-number-of-green-turtles-at-rookery-than-previously-thought-20200610-p5516p.html" target="_blank">Sydney Morning Herald</a>. Eleven species of green turtles <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/green-turtle#:~:text=Green%20turtles%20are%20protected%20under,significant%20portion%20of%20its%20range." target="_blank">are listed as either endangered or threatened</a> in the Endangered Species Act in the U.S.</p>
<p>"We sort of became aware that although there's these massive aggregations, the actual reproduction isn't working so well," said Dunstan to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/09/world/green-turtle-drone-nesting-intl-scli-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>, explaining that his team noticed turtles were falling off cliffs, becoming trapped in the heat and suffering flooding in their nests.</p><p>In their <a href="https://www.des.qld.gov.au/our-department/news-media/mediareleases/drone-technology-helps-count-turtles-gbr" target="_blank">statement</a>, as <a href="https://www.prevention.com/life/a32839141/sea-turtles-australia-raine-island-drone-video/" target="_blank">Prevention</a> noted, the DES said they're "taking action to improve and rebuild the island's nesting beaches and building fences to prevent turtle deaths, all working to strengthen the island's resilience and ensure the survival of our northern green turtles and many other species."</p>
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BHP Billiton's iron ore plant with excavators and stockpiles of iron ore in Western Australia. John W Banagan / Stone / Getty Images
Anglo-Australian mining company BHP said it would pause plans to destroy 40 Aboriginal heritage sites as part of its expansion of an iron ore mine in Western Australia (WA).
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<p>The plans were first revealed by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/11/bhp-to-destroy-at-least-40-aboriginal-sites-up-to-15000-years-old-to-expand-pilbara-mine" target="_blank">The Guardian Australia Wednesday</a> and come on the heels of the controversial <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/rio-tinto-ancient-aboriginal-site-2646131338.html" target="_self">destruction</a> by rival mining company Rio Tinto of 46,000-year-old Aboriginal rock shelters at Juukan Gorge.</p><p>The traditional owners of the 40 sites are the Banjima people, who wrote in December that they would "suffer spiritual and physical harm if they are destroyed," The Guardian reported.</p>
<p>"[We are] worried about the cumulative impact of so many sites being the subject of a single notice for destruction and that not one of the sites is deemed worthy of protection in situ by BHP," the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/indigenous" target="_self">Indigenous</a> title holders wrote.</p><p>BHP won approval to destroy the sites from WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt on May 29, days after the blasting of the Juukan Gorge sites, Australia's <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-11/bhp-halts-aboriginal-site-destruction-after-rio-tinto-protests/12345566" target="_blank">ABC News reported</a>.</p>
<p>At least 40, and as many as 86 sites, were identified in BHP's application to expand its $4.5 billion South Flank iron ore mine in Pilbara, WA, according to The Guardian.</p><p>An archeological survey conducted by the company revealed rock shelters between 10,000 and 15,000 years old and evidence of human presence in the area dating back approximately 40,000 years. The documents revealed by The Guardian also show the company was aware of Aboriginal opposition to the sites' destruction.</p><p>The company wrote it had "taken into account the views and recommendations provided by the Banjima representatives during the consultation and inspection," but it was "not reasonably practicable for BHP to avoid the eighty-six (86) potential archaeological sites."</p>
<p>While the Banjima people wanted the sites preserved, section 18 of the Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act prevented them from formally registering their opposition because they had already signed an agreement with BHP to support the mine in exchange for financial and other benefits.</p><p>After the news broke, BHP first said Wednesday it had a good working relationship with the Banjima, but made no mention of changing its plans, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/bhp-gets-approval-to-destroy-40-aboriginal-heritage-sites-just-days-after-rio-tinto-controversy-20200611-p551nl.html" target="_blank">The Sydney Morning Herald reported</a>. Then, on Thursday, it said it would pause the destruction of the sites.</p><p>"We will not disturb the sites identified without further extensive consultation with the Banjima people," BHP said in a statement reported by ABC News. "That consultation will be based on our commitment to understanding the cultural significance of the region and on the deep respect we have for the Banjima people and their heritage. This will include further scientific study and discussion on mitigation and preservation."</p>
<p>In response, the Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation published a statement saying they "do not support the destruction of sites of cultural significance," as ABC News reported.</p><p>"We stand with all Aboriginal traditional owners and particularly our Pilbara brothers and sisters, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura, at this time in our abhorrence at the destruction of the Juukan rock shelters, and those suffering the threat of or having recently experienced similar site destruction," the statement said.</p>
<p>The actual destruction by Rio Tinto and the destruction threatened by BHP have focused attention on the need to reform the Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act to give Aboriginal groups more control over their heritage sites.</p><p>WA Senator Pat Dodson told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/11/bhp-agrees-not-damage-40-aboriginal-heritage-sites-without-consulting-traditional-owners-pilbara" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> Thursday that there should be a freeze on section 18 approvals until the law was updated.</p><p>"I think this should be an absolute moratorium," Dodson said.</p>
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As restoration managers repair damaged corals, sound recordings can help jumpstart the process of restoring vibrant – and noisy – coral reef ecosystems. CC by 2.0
A healthy coral reef is a noisy place.
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<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/14386763/height/45/theme/standard/thumbnail/yes/direction/backward/" height="45" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>"You've got this constant crackling sound. … That's the sound of snapping shrimp," says Steve Simpson of the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. "Then on top of that, pops, grunts, growls, trumpeting sounds, whooping sounds … and these are generally made by fish that are communicating with each other."</p><p>But Simpson says after damaging coral bleaching events – which are growing more common as oceans warm – that soundscape changes.</p><p>He says that when his team visited part of the Great Barrier Reef after a major bleaching event, "really to our shock, we found that the reef had gone quiet."</p>
<p>It was a sign that many sea creatures had left the area. Now Simpson's team is using sound to draw some of that life back.</p><p>At 11 locations in the Great Barrier Reef, they played recordings of a healthy reef ecosystem. After six weeks, they compared the fish life in those places with that in other areas. They found that twice as many fish had returned to the audio-enriched sites.</p><p>So Simpson says that as restoration managers repair damaged corals, sound recordings can help jumpstart the process of restoring vibrant – and noisy – coral reef ecosystems.</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/06/scientists-use-recorded-sounds-to-lure-fish-back-to-great-barrier-reef/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections.</a></em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Juukan 1 and 2 in June, 2013. Puutu Kunti Kurrama And Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation
By Samantha Hepburn
In the expansion of its iron ore mine in Western Pilbara, Rio Tinto blasted the Juukan Gorge 1 and 2 — Aboriginal rock shelters dating back 46,000 years. These sites had deep historical and cultural significance.
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The shelters are the only inland site in Australia showing human occupation continuing through the last Ice Age.
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<em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/rio-tinto-just-blasted-away-an-ancient-aboriginal-site-heres-why-that-was-allowed-139466" target="_blank">The Conversation</a></em><em>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/139466/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p>The mining blast caused significant distress to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama traditional land owners. It's an <a href="https://skugal.org/blast-destroys-one-of-countrys-oldest-known-aboriginal-heritage-sites/" target="_blank">irretrievable loss</a> for future generations.</p>
<div id="270c6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2b97bf3b4746640cc311e88e8ea7d900"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1265472431772188672" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Ancient rock shelters destroyed in Pilbara mining blast on Sunday. PKKP Aboriginal Corporation devastated at loss o… https://t.co/VfpJUGTH1g</div> — Ngaarda Media Pilbara (@Ngaarda Media Pilbara)<a href="https://twitter.com/ngaarda/statuses/1265472431772188672">1590547113.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Aboriginal cultural heritage is a fundamental part of Aboriginal community life and cultural identity. It has global significance, and forms an important component of the heritage of all Australians.</p><p>But the destruction of a culturally significant Aboriginal site is not an isolated incident. Rio Tinto was acting within the law.</p><p>In 2013, Rio Tinto was given ministerial consent to damage the Juukan Gorge caves. One year later, an archaeological dig unearthed incredible artefacts, such as a 4,000-year-old plait of human hair, and evidence that the site was much older than originally thought.</p><p>But state laws let Rio Tinto charge ahead nevertheless. This failure to put timely and adequate regulatory safeguards in place reveals a disregard and a disrespect for sacred Aboriginal sites.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM2MjIxNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMDQzNjk4MX0.artQnLjdRbrMrOaOJ0amy6qSRSbDEOH0Nnr512471Lg/img.png?width=980" id="ca677" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fdaddc06e2494a4c2dd8ae34fc0dfa1a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
The destruction of a significant Aboriginal site is not an isolated incident. Puutu Kunti Kurrama And Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation
Not an Isolated Incident
<p>The history of large developments destroying Indigenous heritage sites is, tragically, long.</p><p>A $2.1 billion light rail line in Sydney, completed last year, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/this-is-a-tragic-loss-sydney-light-rail-construction-destroyed-heritage-site-20190322-p516qk.html" target="_blank">destroyed a site</a> of considerable significance.</p><p>More than 2,400 stone artifacts were unearthed in a small excavated area. It indicated Aboriginal people had used the area between 1788 and 1830 to manufacture tools and implements from flint brought over to Australia on British ships.</p><p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/27/the-rocks-remember-the-fight-to-protect-burrup-peninsulas-rock-art" target="_blank">ancient rock art</a> on the Burrup Peninsula in north-western Australia is under increasing threat from a gas project. The site contains more than one million rock carvings (petroglyphs) across 36,857 hectares.</p><p>This area is under the custodianship of Ngarluma people and four other traditional owners groups: the Mardudhunera, the Yaburara, the Yindjibarndi and the Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo.</p><p>But a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/BurrupPeninusla/Report" target="_blank">Senate inquiry</a> revealed emissions from adjacent industrial activity may significantly damage it.</p><p><span></span>The West Australian government is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jan/29/australia-lodges-world-heritage-submission-for-50000-year-old-burrup-peninsula-rock-art" target="_blank">seeking world heritage listing</a> to try to increase protection, as the regulatory frameworks at the national and state level aren't strong enough. Let's explore why.</p>What Do the Laws Say?
<p>The recently renamed federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is responsible for listing new national heritage places, and regulating development actions in these areas.</p><p>At the federal level, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (<a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/cth/consol_act/epabca1999588/" target="_blank">EPBC Act</a>) provides a legal framework for their management and protection. It is an offence to impact an area that has national heritage listing.</p><p>But many ancient Aboriginal sites have no national heritage listing. For the recently destroyed Juurkan gorge, the true archaeological significance was uncovered <em>after</em> consent had been issued and there were no provisions to reverse or amend the decision once this new information was discovered.</p><p>Where a site has no national heritage listing, and federal legislation has no application, state laws apply.</p><p>For the rock shelters in the Western Pilbara, Rio Tinto was abiding by Western Australia's <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/wa/consol_act/aha1972164/" target="_blank">Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972</a> — which is now nearly 50 years old.</p><div id="ade46" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b152f672b8b0fa6c7000ca7503bc4c2b"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1265226523167977472" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">What a story on #SorryDay @RioTinto blows up one of country's oldest known Aboriginal heritage sites. And the worst… https://t.co/1iU4zdGaGr</div> — Sophie McNeill (@Sophie McNeill)<a href="https://twitter.com/Sophiemcneill/statuses/1265226523167977472">1590488484.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Section 17 of that act makes it an offence to excavate, destroy, damage, conceal or in any way alter any Aboriginal site without the ministerial consent.</p><p>But, Section 18 allows an owner of the land — and this includes the holder of a mining licence — to apply to the <a href="https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/acmc" target="_blank">Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee</a> for consent to proceed with a development action likely to breach section 17.</p><p>The committee then evaluates the importance and significance of the site, and makes a recommendation to the minister. In this case, the minister allowed Rio Tinto to proceed with the destruction of the site.</p>
No Consultation With Traditional Owners
<p>The biggest concern with this act is there's no statutory requirement ensuring traditional owners be consulted.</p><p>This means traditional owners are left out of vital decisions regarding the management and protection of their cultural heritage. And it confers authority upon a committee that, in the words of a <a href="https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/getmedia/11dd5b41-fcf9-4216-a1ac-06ece672c087/AH-Review-Position-Comparison-for-Aboriginal-People" target="_blank">discussion paper</a>, "lacks cultural authority."</p><p>There is no statutory requirement for an Indigenous person to be on the committee, nor is there a requirement that at least one anthropologist be on the committee. Worse still, there's no right of appeal for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/nov/20/traditional-owners-rally-against-changes-to-wa-aboriginal-heritage-act" target="_blank">traditional owners</a> from a committee decision.</p><p>So, while the committee must adhere to procedural fairness and ensure traditional owners are given sufficient information about decisions, this doesn't guarantee they have a right to consultation nor any right to provide feedback.</p>
Weak in Other Jurisdictions
<p>The WA Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 is <a href="https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/aha-review" target="_blank">under review</a>. The proposed reforms seek to abolish the committee, ensuring future decisions on Aboriginal cultural heritage give appropriate regard to the views of the traditional Aboriginal owners.</p><p><span></span>NSW is the only state with no stand-alone Aboriginal heritage legislation. However, a <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/aborigines-land-and-national-parks-in-nsw/02-97.pdf" target="_blank">similar regulatory framework</a> to WA applies in NSW under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.</p><p>There, if a developer is likely to impact cultural heritage, they must apply for an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit. The law requires "regard" to be given to the interests of Aboriginal owners of the land, but this vague provision does not mandate consultation.</p><p>What's more, the burden of proving the significance of an Aboriginal object depends upon external statements of significance. But Aboriginal people, not others, should be responsible for determining the cultural significance of an object or area.</p><p>As in WA, the NSW regulatory framework is weak, opening up the risk for economic interests to be prioritized over damage to cultural heritage.</p>Outdated Laws
<p>The federal minister has discretion to assess whether state or territory laws are already effective.</p><p>If they decide state and territory laws are ineffective and a cultural place or object is under threat, then the federal <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/cth/consol_act/aatsihpa1984549/" target="_blank">Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984</a> can be used.</p><p>But this act is also weak. It was first implemented as an interim measure, intended to operate for two years. It has now been in operation for 36 years.</p><p>In fact, <a href="http://ymac.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Extracts-from-Evatt-Review-of-the-Aboriginal-and-Torres-Strait-Islander-Heritage-Protection-Act-1984.pdf" target="_blank">a 1995 report</a> assessed the shortcomings of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.</p><p>It recommended minimum standards be put in place. This included ensuring any assessment of Aboriginal cultural significance be made by a properly qualified body, with relevant experience.</p><p>It said the role of Aboriginal people should be appropriately recognized and statutorily endorsed. Whether an area or site had particular significance according to Aboriginal tradition should be regarded as a subjective issue, determined by an assessment of the degree of intensity of belief and feeling of Aboriginal people.</p><p><span></span>Twenty-five years later, this is yet to happen.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Beachcombers walk along Manresa State Beach in Santa Cruz County, California on May 9, 2020, after a shark attack claimed the life of a surfer. Karl Mondon / MediaNews Group / The Mercury News via Getty Images
A 26-year-old man was killed by a shark as he was surfing near a state beach in Northern California on Saturday, according to authorities, as The New York Times reported.
<p>Ben Kelly was roughly 100 yards from shore at Manresa State Beach near Santa Cruz when a shark attacked him around 1:30 p.m., the California Department of Parks and Recreation said on Sunday, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/us/shark-attack-santa-cruz-manresa-sand-dollar-beach.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. While the beach was closed to encourage social distancing, the water was open for people to engage in water sports, like surfing and swimming.</p><p>A witness flagged down a lifeguard patrolling the area. Since the attack, the beach and water are now closed until May 14. The water is off-limits for one mile north and south of the attack and signs have been posted to inform potential beachgoers of the presence of sharks, according to the <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/11/california-shark-attack-surfer-killed-near-manresa-state-beach/3107097001/" target="_blank">AP</a>.</p>
<p>Monterey Bay drone photographer Eric Mailander told KRON he has observed dozens of great white sharks swimming near the shoreline in recent days. He said he counted 15 sharks while out on his boat Saturday morning, as the <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/11/california-shark-attack-surfer-killed-near-manresa-state-beach/3107097001/" target="_blank">AP</a> reported.</p><p>The species of shark that attacked Mr. Kelly is still unknown, the Department of Parks and Recreation said in a <a href="https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/952" target="_blank" title="">statement</a>.</p><p>Simon R. Thorrold, a senior scientist in the biology department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts, said in an interview that his "best guess" was that it was a great white shark, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/us/shark-attack-santa-cruz-manresa-sand-dollar-beach.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> reported.</p><p>"White sharks are big enough and their teeth are so sharp that even a halfhearted attempt will cause significant injuries," he said.</p>
<p>Fatal shark attacks are rare along the Northern California coast, although it is a major breeding ground for the great white shark, <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/05/10/fatal-shark-attack-ben-kelly-santa-surf-community-mourns/" target="_blank">according to KPIX, San Francisco's CBS affiliate</a>. There have been at least two other fatal attacks since 1984, KPIX noted, but those involved divers. In March, a shark bit the board of a paddleboarder near Capitola, <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/03/30/capitola-paddle-boarder-shark-attack-beaches-closed-santa-cruz-county/" target="_blank">narrowly missing him</a>, according to the sheriff's office.</p><p>"Hippos kill way more people every year than sharks do," Thorrold said to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/us/shark-attack-santa-cruz-manresa-sand-dollar-beach.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage" target="_blank">The New York Times.</a> He added that while sharks prefer not to eat humans, the silhouette of a surfboard with a paddling surfer can resemble a seal from under the water.</p><p>"Seals are part of their natural prey," Thorrold told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/us/shark-attack-santa-cruz-manresa-sand-dollar-beach.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. "It is not unreasonable to think that the shark thinks it is a seal and gets to the surfer and realizes pretty quickly it does not want to eat it. By that time, the shark has done enough damage to the human that it can end in tragedy."</p>
<p>According to The Washington Post, Kelly described himself as a self-taught surfboard shaper on <a href="https://www.benkellysurfboards.com/about" target="_blank">his company's website</a>. He wrote that his boards are "well represented here at home in Santa Cruz, California" as well as in Bali, South Africa, Mexico, Central America, Peru and Hawaii. <a href="https://vimeo.com/286252115" target="_blank">Video</a> posted on the site shows him shaping a surfboard.</p><p>"What started as a way to fuel my own surfing passion has now become a way to stoke out my fellow surfers, and that is truly fulfilling for me," Kelly said in his bio. "It's the way I have found to give back to others."</p>
<p>On the other side of the world, a shark bit a French surfer in Australia, but the surfer was able to get away. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2020/may/11/surfer-escapes-shark-attack-at-bells-beach-australia-video" target="_blank">Video</a> of the incident shows Dylan Nacass and Matt Sedunary yelling and scrambling to get away from a stalking shark, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2020/may/11/surfer-escapes-shark-attack-at-bells-beach-australia-video" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p><p>Nacass, 23, punched the shark twice when it attacked him at Bells Beach in Victoria, according to <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/australia-surfer-bitten-but-survives-shark-attack-by-punching-it-twice-11986134" target="_blank">Sky News</a>. He needed stitches for his puncture wounds.</p><p>"I punched him one time, he stay in my legs. Two times after, he go," he told television news in Australia.</p><p>Matt Sedunary heard screaming and thought Nacass was joking around. After realizing the seriousness of the situation, he rushed to help, as <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/australia-surfer-bitten-but-survives-shark-attack-by-punching-it-twice-11986134" target="_blank">Sky News</a> reported.</p><p>"I'm not gonna just ditch this guy," he said. "Most people would do the same thing."</p>
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Cut timber being loaded for transportation to a manufacturing plant in Gympie, Queensland, Australia on July 17, 2013. Auscape / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Australia's unprecedented wildfires that raged for months and destroyed millions of acres were likely made worse by industrial logging of native forests, according to a new commentary from five scientists published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
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<p>The group of five senior Australian scientists from the Australian National University, Macquarie University and the University of Queensland said that logging native forests makes fire more severe and they are calling for a clearer assessment about how land management and forestry practices add to the risk of wildfires, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/06/compelling-evidence-logging-native-forests-has-worsened-australian-bushfires-scientists-warn" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>"Logging causes a rise in fuel loads, increases potential drying of wet forests and causes a decrease in forest height," said James Watson, a professor at the University of Queensland and an author on the paper in a <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200505121655.htm" target="_blank">university statement</a>. "It can leave up to 450 tonnes of combustible fuel per hectare close to the ground — by any measure, that's an incredibly dangerous level of combustible material in seasonally dry landscapes. By allowing these practices to increase fire severity and flammability, we undermine the safety of some of our rural communities.</p><p>"It affects <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a> too by creating habitat loss, fragmentation and disturbance for many species, with major negative effects on forest wildlife," he added.</p>
<p>They say that the contribution of logging to bushfires needs greater scrutiny, and there should be more public awareness about the compelling links between wildfires and the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis" target="_self">climate crisis</a>, according to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/logging-likely-had-significant-effect-on-summer-fires-scientists-20200505-p54q2m.html" target="_blank">The Sydney Morning Herald</a>.</p><p>They also note that while most global emissions and pollution is out of the country's control, Australians have full authority over how their own land is managed.</p><p>"The first is to prevent logging of moist forests, particularly those close to urban areas," said lead author David Lindenmayer, a professor at Australia National University, in a <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200505121655.htm" target="_blank">statement</a>. "We must also reduce forest fragmentation by proactively restoring some previously logged forests. In the event of wildfires, land managers must avoid practices such as 'salvage' logging — or logging of burnt forests — which severely reduces recovery of a forest."</p>
<p>Last week, VicForests Chief Executive Officer Monique Dawson criticized professor Lindenmayer, an internationally regarded ecologist, saying in a letter to the Goongerah Environment Centre that the agency "does not accept his published opinions."</p><p>Lindenmayer said he was taking legal advice about the remarks in the letter, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/06/compelling-evidence-logging-native-forests-has-worsened-australian-bushfires-scientists-warn" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported. He added that her comments reflected an organization that was unscientific and did not rely on evidence to manage forests.</p><p>In fact, as The Sydney Morning Herald reported, despite warning from environmentalists that forests and wildlife are still very fragile, VicForests last week revealed plans to log 3500 hectares of forests burnt during the catastrophic summer fires in the next few years.</p><p>The paper says industry data showed that some 161 million cubic meters of native forest was logged between 1996 and 2018.</p><p>"Beyond the direct and immediate impacts on biodiversity of disturbance and proximity to disturbed forest, there is compelling evidence that Australia's historical and contemporary logging regimes have made many Australian forests more fire prone and contributed to increased fire severity and flammability," the scientists wrote, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/06/compelling-evidence-logging-native-forests-has-worsened-australian-bushfires-scientists-warn" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p>
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Australia Throws Great Barrier Reef a $300 Million Lifeline, but Will It Cut Emissions?
20 April
Science
Australia's Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program will further investigate 43 potential fixes for the Great Barrier Reef in a wide-scale rescue effort. Australian Institute of Marine Science
The Great Barrier Reef is in trouble. The Australian government is trying to buy its crown jewel some time, but is it willing to support what the reef needs most — a reduction in emissions?
<p>A few weeks ago, the world's greatest coral reef suffered its <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coral-bleaching-great-barrier-reef-2645576557.html" target="_self">third major bleaching event</a> in five years, the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/great-barrier-reef-bleaching-2020-2645655957.html" target="_self">most widespread to date</a>. The frequency and severity of the bleachings have caused some scientists to speculate whether the reef has reached a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coral-reef-bleaching-frequency-2645625927.html" target="_self">tipping point</a> of no return.</p><p>On Thursday, Minister of the Environment Susan Ley announced the launch of the <a href="https://www.gbrrestoration.org/rrap-r-d-program" target="_blank">research and development (R&D) phase</a> of the government's <a href="https://www.gbrrestoration.org/home" target="_blank">Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP)</a> to combat the declines the reef is experiencing.</p>
<p>Following a <a href="https://www.gbrrestoration.org/investment-case-reports" target="_blank">two-year feasibility study</a> led by the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/" target="_blank">Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)</a>, a list of 160 potential fixes was whittled down to 43 promising concepts that will be funded for further investigation.</p><p>AIMS Chief Executive Paul Hardisty described how the R&D phase will "provide the scientific basis to help the reef survive in the coming decades," noted a <a href="https://app.wipster.io/Review/CYd0JQB8xsdI6pVHEelJXg9d9n6MKF2hFwrJS8xnAHVqhhilgA#asset=1" target="_blank">media statement</a>. The program is designed to uncover adaptations for the reef that are cost-effective, safe, and acceptable to the public and regulators, Hardisty said.</p><p>But how effective can an adaptation and resilience program really be against the backdrop of ever-increasing global emissions and ocean temperatures?</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzE0NjE0NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTkyNDg1OH0.FDEh9YBEUzrdku4Jvq4_EzR6VBEvcYJDmcQJgqHFyI4/img.png?width=980" id="22914" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="16bd31453bd95bfc997c1ccbfd4b9efe" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. Stretching 2,300 km along Australia's northeast coastline, this complex of shallow water reefs and islands is home to thousands of species of fish, invertebrates, algae, reptiles, birds and algae. This image, taken by the VIIRS sensor on the Suomi NPP satellite on Aug.19, 2017 uses the high resolution SVI 3, 2, and 1 bands, commonly referred to as "natural color" RGB. NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)
<p>The feasibility study found that global warming might kill the entire Great Barrier Reef by as early as 2050, reported Hack.</p><p>Most tropical coral reefs will disappear even if <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change-ipcc-report-2610866229.html" target="_self">heating can be limited to 1.5°C</a>, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/chapter-3/" target="_blank">said</a>, reported <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/16/brightening-clouds-and-coral-larvae-study-picks-best-great-barrier-reef-rescue-ideas" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. Reefs will still be "at very high risk" at 1.2°C warming, and the globe is already over 1°C since the Industrial Revolution, The Guardian explained.</p><p>The feasibility report concluded, "We are facing the very real prospect that, within a generation and without concerted action to reduce emissions and help drive adaptation and faster recovery from damage, the Great Barrier Reef as we have known it will cease to exist," reported <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/australias-daring-attempt-to-save-great-barrier-reef-has-begun/12155326" target="_blank">Hack</a>.</p><p>To avoid this, the scientists are calling for an intervention at a scale never seen before, and they're trying to find adaptation solutions before climate change destroys what remains of the reef, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/18/rebuild-it-shade-it-breed-it-three-tactics-to-buy-time-for-the-great-barrier-reef" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p>
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<p>Daniel Harrison, a biological oceanographer at Southern Cross University, led one of the 43 experimental trials being funded for further research.</p><p>"This is a race against time," he said to The Guardian. "If we can go really hard on emissions and meet or beat the Paris [climate] targets, then these interventions have the potential to help get the reef to a sustainable future – but only under that very aggressive emissions reduction scenario."</p><p>Therein lies one of the historically sticky points for environmentalists when it comes to Australia's "hypocritical" environmental protection efforts contrasted against its broader, coal-friendly environmental policies, reported <a href="https://fortune.com/2018/04/30/australia-great-barrier-reef-climate-change/" target="_blank">Fortune</a>.</p><p>In 2017, <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org.au/news/governments-coal-crush-real-threat-great-barrier-reef/" target="_blank">Greenpeace</a> called the government's "coal crush" the real threat to the Great Barrier Reef because it "[ignored] the simple reality of climate change." In 2018, Australia invested $379 million into saving the reef. The government <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/usda-removing-safeguards-on-food-2645756313.html" target="_self">concurrently promoted the building of new coal mines</a>, which fuel global warming that harms the reef.</p><p>In 2019, Australia continued its "love affair with fossil fuels," setting <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/australia-emissions-record-high-2639152810.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">new record highs for emissions pollution</a>. That same year, the marine park authority approved plans to dump one million tonnes (approximately 1.1 million U.S. tons) of sludge onto the reef.</p><p>As recently as December 2019, coal advocate and current Prime Minister Scott Morrison received backlash for vacationing in Hawaii and seeming "<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/australia-fires-michael-mann-2644442561.html" target="_self">remarkably indifferent</a>" while bush fires devastated the country, reported <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/as-fires-devastate-australia-a-coal-loving-leader-faces-an-early-test/2020/01/08/a7827ebc-3178-11ea-91fd-82d4e04a3fac_story.html" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>. The fires were exacerbated by climate change and the spike in greenhouse gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels, explained The Washington Post.</p><p>In response, Morrison said, "Our emissions reductions policies will both protect our environment and seek to reduce the risks and hazards we are seeing today," reported The Washington Post.</p>
<p>The realities of climate change and coral bleaching have led even the scientists spearheading this latest effort to save the reef to characterize the RRAP as a long shot, reported <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/australias-daring-attempt-to-save-great-barrier-reef-has-begun/12155326" target="_blank">Hack</a>.<br></p><p>AIMS principal research scientist Ken Anthony told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/18/rebuild-it-shade-it-breed-it-three-tactics-to-buy-time-for-the-great-barrier-reef" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, "It's a bit like the Apollo 11 mission. It really is on that scale."</p><p>Hardisty also metaphorically compared the new program to the "high-risk but successful U.S. mission to put a man on the moon before the end of the '60s," reported <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/australias-daring-attempt-to-save-great-barrier-reef-has-begun/12155326" target="_blank">Hack</a>. He agreed that success might seem like a "moonshot," given the current situation on the reef and global emissions, but optimistically added, "If we work hard and are smart and are courageous we can turn this around," reported Hack.</p><p>The R&D phase will be funded by the Australian government and a consortium of universities and marine studies institutes. The government committed $150 million for the next five years, and that figure could jump to $300 million with promised donations from the private sector and in-kind investments from R&D providers, noted a <a href="https://minister.awe.gov.au/ley/media-releases/150-million-drive-innovations-boost-reef-resilience" target="_blank">government press release</a>.</p><p>The feasibility study found that the efforts could result in a net benefit to Australia of tens of billions of dollars, much greater than the initial investment, the <a href="https://www.gbrrestoration.org/investment-case-reports" target="_blank">investment case</a> said.</p>
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1 in 10 Children Affected by Bushfires Is Indigenous. We’ve Been Ignoring Them for Too Long
02 April
Insights + Opinion
A schoolchildren crossing sign is seen in front of burned trees in Mallacoota, Australia on Jan. 15, 2020. Luis Ascui / Getty Images
By Bhiamie Williamson, Francis Markham and Jessica Weir
The catastrophic bushfire season is officially over, but governments, agencies and communities have failed to recognize the specific and disproportionate impact the fires have had on Aboriginal peoples.
<p>Addressing this in bushfire response and recovery is part of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-10/barunga-festival-marred-by-unfinished-treaty-business/11194706" target="_blank">Unfinished Business</a>: the work needed for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/indigenous-peoples">Indigenous</a> and non-Indigenous people to meet on more just terms.</p><p>In our recent <a href="https://caepr.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/aboriginal-peoples-and-response-2019-2020-bushfires" target="_blank">study</a>, we found more than one quarter of the Indigenous population in New South Wales and Victoria live in a fire-affected area. That's more than 84,000 people. What's more, one in ten infants and children affected by the fires is Indigenous.</p><p>But in past bushfire inquires and royal commissions, Aboriginal people have been mentioned only sparingly. When referenced now, it's only in relation to cultural burning or cultural heritage. This must change.</p>
<h3>Bushfire Residents</h3><p>Indigenous people comprise only 2.3% of the total population of NSW and Victoria. But they make up nearly 5.4% of the 1.55 million people living in fire-affected areas of these states.</p><p>And of the total Indigenous population in fire-affected areas, 36% are less than 15 years old. This is a major concern for delivering health services and education after bushfires have struck.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkwOTg2OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxODA3NTM4Nn0.NhSy_34bnZ6eh_hCxHw1mKS7kgIU5Ha4yOFltveyT_o/img.png?width=980" id="ecdda" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4426250aec98566f7f93867603354d75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Table: The Conversation. Source: Authors' calculations from 2016 Census of Population and Housing (ABS 2020) and 2016 ERP (ABS 2017b). Get the data
<p>Importantly, where Indigenous people live has a marked spatial pattern.</p><p>There are 22 discrete Aboriginal communities in rural fire-affected areas. Of these, 20 are in NSW, often <a href="https://aiatsis.gov.au/research/finding-your-family/family-history-sources/mission-and-reserve-records" target="_blank">former mission lands</a> where people were forcibly moved or camps established by Aboriginal peoples.</p><p>Ten percent of Indigenous people in fire-affected areas in NSW and Victoria live in these communities.</p><p>And those living in larger towns and urban areas aren't evenly distributed. For example, Indigenous people comprise 10.6% of residents in fire-affected Nowra–Bomaderry, compared with 1.9% of residents in fire-affected Bowral–Mittagong.</p><p>These statistics are steeped in histories and geographies that need to directly inform where and how services are delivered.</p>
<h3>Indigenous Rights and Interests</h3><p>Aboriginal people hold significant legal rights and interests over lands and waters in the fire-affected areas. These are recognized by state, federal or common law. This includes native title, land acquired through the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act or lands covered by Registered Aboriginal Parties in Victoria.</p><p>Even where there's no formal recognition, all fire-affected lands have Aboriginal ownership held and passed down through songlines, languages and kinship networks.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkwOTg3MS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTUxODA2Mn0.HH1LDiPZiGw6gls_6pHwureGp4D0vnh_w2IapuovFI4/img.png?width=980" id="0e5b1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ae30fbcd0ccc42ba5bff49f1cbbfdc6f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Areas in NSW and Victoria burnt and affected by fires of 250 ha or more, July 1, 2019 to January 23, 2020, and Aboriginal legal interests in land. Author provided
<p>The nature of these legal rights and interests means the bushfires have different consequences for Aboriginal rights-holders than for non-Indigenous landowners.</p><p>Many non-Indigenous landowners in the fire-affected areas face the difficult decision of whether to stay and rebuild, or sell and move on. Traditional owners, on the other hand, are in a far more complex and unending situation.</p><p>Traditional owners carry intergenerational responsibilities, practices and more that have been formed with the places they know as their Country.</p><p>They can leave and live on someone else's Country, but their Country and any formally recognized communal land and water rights remain in the fire-affected area.</p>
<h3>Relegated to the Past</h3><p>Clearly, Aboriginal people have unique experiences with bushfire disasters, but Aboriginal voices have seldom been heard in the recovery processes that follow.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/functions/publications/archived/mcleod_inquiry/report" target="_blank">McLeod Inquiry</a>, which followed the 2003 Canberra bushfires and the 2009 Black Saturday Royal Commission – were critical processes of reflection and recovery for the nation. Even in these landmark reports, references to Aboriginal people are almost completely absent.</p><p>There were only four brief mentions across three volumes of the <a href="http://royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Commission-Reports/Final-Report.html" target="_blank">Black Saturday Royal Commission</a>. Two were cultural heritage protections discussions in relation to pre-bushfire season preparation, and two were historical references to past burning practices.</p><p>In other words, Aboriginal people – their cultural practices, ways of life and land management techniques – are relegated to the past.</p><p>This approach must change to acknowledge that Aboriginal people are present in contemporary society, and have distinct experiences with bushfire disasters.</p>
<h3>More Than Cultural Burning</h3><p>This year, we've seen strong interest in Aboriginal people's fire management, including in the early months of the federal <a href="https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/commonwealth-letters-patent-20-february-2020" target="_blank">royal commission</a>, and in <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/improving-nsw/projects-and-initiatives/make-a-submission-to-the-bushfire-inquiry/nsw-independent-bushfire-inquiry-terms-of-reference/" target="_blank">NSW</a> and <a href="https://www.igem.vic.gov.au/Fire-Season-Inquiry" target="_blank">Victoria</a> state inquiries.</p><p>But including Aboriginal voices only in regards to cultural burning is deeply problematic. Yet, it's an emerging trend – not only in these official responses, but in the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-30/aboriginal-cultural-burning-funding-for-bushfire-mitigation/11910464" target="_blank">media</a>.</p><p>This narrowly defined scope precludes the suite of concerns Aboriginal people bring to bushfire risk matters. Their concerns go across the natural hazard sector's spectrum of preparation, planning, response and recovery.</p><p>Aboriginal people need to be part of the broad conversation that bushfire decision-makers, researchers and the public sector are having.</p>
<h3>Amplifying Aboriginal Voices</h3><p>To date, Victoria offers the most substantial effort to include Aboriginal voices by establishing an Aboriginal reference group to work alongside the <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-victoria" target="_blank">bushfire recovery agency</a>. But Aboriginal people require a much stronger presence in every facet of these state and national inquiries.</p><p>We identify three foundational steps:</p><ol><li>Acknowledge that Aboriginal people have been erased, made absent and marginalized in previous bushfire recovery efforts, and identify and address why this continues to happen.</li><li>Establish non-negotiable instructions for including Aboriginal people in the terms of reference and membership of post-bushfire inquiries.</li><li>Establish Aboriginal representation on relevant government committees involved in decision-making, planning and implementation of disaster risk management.</li></ol><p>The continued marginalization of Aboriginal people diminishes all of us – in terms of our values in living within a just society.</p><p>It was never acceptable to silence Aboriginal people in responses to major disasters. It's incumbent upon us all to ensure these colonial practices of erasure and marginalization are relegated to the past.</p>
<p><em>Bhiamie Williamson is a research associate & Ph.D. candidate at Australian National University.<br/></em></p><p><em><span style="background-color: initial;">Francis Markham is a r</span>esearch fellow at the College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University.<br/></em></p><p><span style="background-color: initial;"><em>Jessica Weir</em></span><em>Senior is a research fellow at Western Sydney University.</em><br/></p><p><em>Disclosure statements: Bhiamie Williamson is a member of the ACT Bushfire Council. </em><em>Jessica Weir receives funding from Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. </em><em>Francis Markham does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond his academic appointment.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-in-10-children-affected-by-bushfires-is-indigenous-weve-been-ignoring-them-for-too-long-135212" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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