A conservation project aimed at reviving dwindling cockatoo populations in the South West has been given wings with a $250,000 grant from Lotterywest.
This announcement follows the news earlier this year that a large number of black cockatoos had been killed by drivers on WA roads.
This prompted a warning from the Department of Parks and Wildlife for drivers to be extra cautious when driving in areas frequented by the cockatoos. Senior wildlife officer Rick Dawson said the number of black cockatoos being struck was concerning.
"As a large-winged bird, black cockatoos usually take off into the wind often putting them in the path of vehicles and making them vulnerable to vehicle strike, so we ask that motorists slow down safely when they see black cockatoos on or near the road, and approach with caution," Mr Dawson told Fairax Media in April.
Environment Minister Albert Jacob, who announced the funding on Monday, said the project would help protect threatened Baudin's and forest red-tailed black cockatoos.
"This project will mobilise community members in an important conservation effort,” Mr Jacob said.
Mr Jacob presented the grant to BirdLife WA and said it would allow the group to work with the community and State Government on important conservation activities for the species.
He said the two-year project aimed to involve more than 1,000 volunteers, including school children throughout Perth and the South-West, to raise awareness of cockatoos and their importance in the ecosystem with community events, school visits and stalls at agricultural shows
Training will be provided to volunteers at BirdLife WA workshops so they can identify important habitat and help with survey work.
This will complement conservation work being undertaken by the Department of Parks and Wildlife and help improve knowledge of the distribution, breeding, roosting and foraging habitats of Baudin’s and the forest red-tailed black cockatoo.
The project will also focus on conservation priorities identified in black cockatoo recovery plans prepared by the department.
This includes working with orchardists who are taking innovative measures to protect their harvest, such as the use of netting which does not impact cockatoos, and the development of on-ground conservation through voluntary management agreements with landholders.
Both species of cockatoos are listed as rare under the WA Wildlife Conservation Act 1950.
