Book of Hope case study The Lord Howe Island phasmid, back from the brink

Project 6.4

The future Recovery aims to reintroduce the phasmid to Lord Howe Island, if rats can be eradicated. In 2012, the Lord Howe Island Board received significant funding for a rat eradication program, and baiting commenced in June 2019. Captive populations of the phasmid have undergone palatability trials of Lord Howe Island plants in anticipation of reintroduction. For the future, surveys will be conducted of the small wild population on Balls Pyramid and, where appropriate, new founders Adult female Lord Howe Island phasmid . Photo: Rohan Cleave, Melbourne Zoo, Australia collected for the captive population. One female was collected in 2017 during such a survey, the first since The Lord Howe Island phasmid taken from Balls Pyramid in February 2003. Genetic research is being (Dryococelus australis), a shiny, black, 2003 to establish captive populations undertaken to inform captive heavy-bodied flightless stick insect in Australia. A population was management decisions that grows to 120 to 150 mm in established at Melbourne Zoo. and reintroduction planning. length, was formerly common and The recovery plan included widespread on Lord Howe Island. control of an exotic weed that More information However, it was extirpated from was threatening the precarious Hank Bower, Nicholas Carlile, the island in the 1930s following melaleuca habitat on Balls Pyramid. Rohan Cleave, Chris Haselden, the accidental introduction of rats. Program success Dean Hiscox and Lisa O’Neill (2018) For three decades it was thought The path to recovery for the Extinction has probably now been to be extinct, until the unexpected ‘extinct’ Lord Howe Island phasmid. averted. Captive populations discovery in the 1960s of evidence of In Recovering Australian Threatened are increasing in Australian and its persistence on the unlikely refuge Species: A Book of Hope. (Eds international zoos, most notably of Balls Pyramid, a 550m-high rock S Garnett, P Latch, D Lindenmayer, at Melbourne Zoo, and in enclosures stack 23km offshore. A 2001 survey J Woinarski) pp 189-198. CSIRO on Lord Howe Island, and the found a tiny population on a single Publishing, Melbourne. rock ledge supporting melaleuca tiny wild population is continuing bushes, and it was listed as Critically to cling to Balls Pyramid. Endangered under the EPBC Act. Outstanding communication Recovery action programs have galvanised public support for this seemingly The NSW National Parks and Wildlife uncharismatic invertebrate, Service prepared a draft Recovery which has found fame as the Plan. Surveys were undertaken to “world’s rarest insect”. estimate the wild population, and two adult pairs of the phasmid were

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United Nations Lord Howe Island Group Australian Government’s National Educational, Scientific and inscribed on the World Cultural Organization Heritage List in 1982 Environmental Science Program.