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SUMMER Vol: 1/2018 SUMMER Vol: 1/2018 Photo: Doug Gimesy FLORA AND FAUNA OF SYDNEY’S NORTH HEAD More images and information on Sydney’s hidden gem, go to page 23 Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub is a nationally and state-listed endangered scrub and heath vegetation community. The barking owl is a medium-sized owl with bright yellow eyes and no facial disc. Upper parts are brown or greyish-brown, and the white breast is vertically streaked with brown. The large talons are yellow. Grass tree (Xanthorrea spp.). An iconic part of the Australian landscape, the grass tree is widespread across eastern New South Wales. These Australian native plants have a thick fi re-blackened trunk and long spiked Smooth-barked apple (Angophora costata), also known as Sydney red leaves. They are abundant in the heath habitat at North Head. The grass gum or rusty gum trees. Growing to heights of 15−30 metres, the russet- tree grows 1 to 5 metres in height and produces striking white-fl owered coloured angophoras shed their bark in spring to reveal spectacular new spikes which grow up to 1 metre long. salmon-coloured bark. 2 Australian Wildlife Vol 1 - Summer 2018 Contents features regulars Footprints in water: In search From the President’s desk 7 of the elusive platypus 5 - Doug Gimesy Book reviews Platypus ‘Death Traps’ 30 11 - Geoff Williams Be a part of the Australian Is it too late for the koala? 7 20 34 Wildlife Society’s conservation 13 - Linda Dennis work Extinction is not an option - Membership form 17 Introducing Aussie Ark: Giving 35 hope to an entire ecosystem Black Mountain: Forbidding 20 place or refuge - Sabine Borgis Sydney’s hidden gem 23 - Suzanne Medway 13 23 The thin green line: A 27 consortium of partners and landowners enhancing a critical wildlife corridor - David Rush 17 26 Suzanne Medway AM 18 27 Editor, Australian Wildlife On the cover: Front Cover: Platypus taken at Upper Tarago River, SUMMER Vol: 1/2017 Neerim, Victoria. Photo: Doug Gimesy Back Cover: A platypus out feeding at dawn. Photo: Doug Gimesy Sabine Borgis Sub-Editor, Australian Wildlife Australian Wildlife Vol 1 - Summer 2018 3 Australian Wildlife is the offi cial journal of the Australian Wildlife Society (Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited). Founded in 1909, the Society is dedicated to the conservation of our unique Australian wildlife in all its forms. Print Post Approval No: PP243459/00117 Conserving Australia’s Wildlife ISSN 0155-266X since 1909 Price $10 (for non-members) Membership Contact Directors 2017 Individual Members: $55 National Offi ce Patron Australian Wildlife Society Family Members: $70 (Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited) His Excellency General the Honourable (being husband, wife and children jointly) Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) Concession: $50 PO Box 42 (pensioner, student, child) BRIGHTON LE SANDS NSW 2216 President E-mag Members: $30 Tel: (02) 9556 1537 Suzanne Medway AM (Australian Wildlife magazine will be distributed Email: [email protected] via email as a pdf document - no hard copy of the Hon Secretary/Chief Executive Offi cer Accounts: [email protected] magazine will be sent) Patrick W Medway AM Associate Members: $85 Editor “Australian Wildlife”: (being schools or incorporated or unincorporated [email protected] Vice Presidents associations with a principal object related to Website: aws.org.au Stephen Grabowski and Ken Mason conservation, nature study or education) Corporate Members: $125 Hon Treasurer (being incorprated or unincorporated associations Membership Hotline: Sash Denkovski not being associate members) Includes postage within Australia. Mob: 0424 287 297 Directors Add $40 for overseas postage Christine Banks Noel Cislowski AM Three Year Trevor Evans Membership Wayne Greenwood Dr Clive Williams OAM Individual Members: $150 Family Members: $190 Scientifi c Advisory Committee Correspondence to: Concession: $135 Dr Mike Augee - mammology/palaeontology Hon Secretary: E-mag Members: $81 Prof Richard Kingsford - environmental science Associate Members: $230 Australian Wildlife Society Geoffrey Ross - wildlife management issues Corporate Members: $340 PO Box 42 Includes postage within Australia. Jennie Gilbert - marine conservation BRIGHTON LE SANDS NSW 2216 Add $100 for overseas postage Vanessa Wilson - wildlife conservation and management Notice to our members Our Mission The Australian Wildlife Society (Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited) is managed The Australian Wildlife Society (Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia Limited) is an and controlled by an elected board of ten volunteer directors. The Society is a registered independent, voluntary, non-profi t conservation organisation, formed in 1909, and company limited by guarantee with ASIC and is responsible for complying with all its is committed to the preservation of Australia’s precious fl ora and fauna. We act as regulations. a watchdog and provide advice to government agencies and institutions regarding environmental and conservation issues concerning all aspects of wildlife preservation. Any member who might like to consider serving as a director of the Society is invited to Our mission is to conserve Australia’s fauna and fl ora through education and contact the national offi ce for more details. The most important qualifi cation to serving as a involvement of the community. We are dedicated to the conservation of our unique director is ‘a commitment to and love of Australian wildlife’. Australian wildlife in all its forms through national environmental education programs, The Society holds regular monthly meetings on the fi rst Wednesday of each month in political lobbying, advocacy and hands on conservation work. Sydney. Our Society has always known that a conservation battle is never really won until The Editor would like to feature a member’s profi le in the fortnightly email newsletter and the victory is enshrined in legislation. We have always tried to convince politicians of occasionally in our quarterly magazine. Members are invited to consider submitting a short the necessity to include the preservation of Australia’s precious wildlife and its vital article with a photograph for possible publication. conservation habitat in all their planning and environmental issues and discussions. Articles and comments expressed in this magazine do not necessarily refl ect the opinions of the Editor, Society or members. Articles contributed from outside sources are included for the reading enjoyment of members and to encourage discussion on different points of view. Articles may be copied or quoted with appropriate attribution. 4 Australian Wildlife Vol 1 - Summer 2018 From the President’s desk Suzanne Medway AM - President Seeing a wild native animal is something special – unexpected and unpredictable. It’s a sign that nature is alive and well. We all come into contact with wildlife Anti-zoo and animal rights groups All zoological and wildlife parks are at some time in our lives. We see and such as CAPS, PETA or the Born inspected annually by government smell wildƪ owers, listen to birds, Free Foundation claim that zoos agencies and must meet rigid and at night we may be lucky enough are inherently cruel. They highlight standards. to cross paths with a possum or a animals housed in small cages for “our wallaby. Seeing a wild native animal is entertainment” and claim all should be The Royal Zoological Society of New something special – unexpected and released back into the wild. South Wales is concerned with the unpredictable. It’s a sign that nature study and conservation of Australia’s But zoo design has moved a long is alive and well. Unfortunately, we native fauna, and the education of its way since the bad days of bare often see Australian wildlife dead on members and the general public on concrete cages, and indeed innovative the side of our roads – the victims these subjects. Its objectives are to enclosures these days can closely of roadkill. Hundreds of thousands promote and advance the science of replicate an animal’s wild habitats. of animals are killed each year after zoology, and to protect, preserve and conserve the indigenous animals of being hit by motor vehicles on Overall, zoos provide opportunities Australia and their associated habitats. Australian roads. For many people, to observe and engage with exotic their deaths are considered to be sad – animals, many of which may be The World Association of Zoos but inevitable. threatened with extinction in the and Aquariums is the voice of a wild. Seeing them up close can spark a global community of high standard, To experience wildlife in its natural passion for biology, conservation and conservation-based zoos and environment brings us in touch with the environment. aquariums. Its mission is to act as a a diơ erent world where people are the outsiders. Wildlife lives by natural rules, not by human values. If we try to feed or pat a wild animal, this will have an impact on it, particularly AGM and Annual as more and more people visit our natural areas. But for the majority of people, their only chance to see Luncheon native Australian wildlife is in zoos or The 109th AGM of the Wildlife Preservation Society of wildlife parks. Australia trading as Australian Wildlife Society will be The role of zoos in wildlife held on Wednesday 7 March 2018, to be followed by the conservation Society’s annual luncheon. The Agenda and luncheon details appear at the end of this magazine. Modern zoos aim to promote animal conservation, educate people, and In accordance with the Society’s Constitution, under Clause support further wildlife research. 10, three directors are retiring. Two directors are offering The three are entwined to ensure the themselves for re-election – this will leave a vacancy on animals are housed to the highest possible standards of welfare. Staơ the board. Any suitably qualifi ed member interested in are dedicated to providing species- serving on the Board should complete Schedule 3 of the speciƤ c housing, appropriate diets and Constitution (available from the national offi ce) and return husbandry to ensure that the animals’ the completed form by 15 February 2018.
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