❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the translocation of animals from Barrow Island, including details on species, locations, dates, survival rates, and related reports. The Minister provides detailed information on 12 translocation events and tables relevant reports.
AnsweredQoN 1584Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the translocation of animals from Barrow Island, and I ask: (a) how many translocations in total have occurred from Barrow Island; (b) how many animals, what species and where were the animals moved in each translocation event; (c) when did these translocations occur; (d) with regard to the February 2010 translocation of 325 golden bandicoots, 111 brushtail possums, 104 spectacled hare-wallabies and 65 boodies from Barrow Island to Lorna Glen in the Goldfields, Hermite Island and Cape Range National Park, what was the survival rate for each species; (e) will the Minister table the report(s) which details the February 2010 translocations including the translocation proposal that was provided to the Animal Ethics Committee of the department formerly known as the Department of Environment and Conservation as well as any report(s) that detail animal survivorship at each translocation site; and (f) if no to (e), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2014
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
35 days
(a) 12.
(b)-(c) 1. Golden bandicoot (
Isoodon auratus barrowensis
):161 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in January/February 2010.
2. Golden bandicoot: 164 animals to Lorna Glen (Matuwa) in January/February 2010.
3. Golden bandicoot: 92 animals to Doole Island Nature Reserve, Exmouth Gulf in July 2011.
4. Spectacled hare-wallaby (
Lagorchestes conspicillatus conspicillatus
): 104 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in January/February 2010.
5. Boodie (
Bettongia lesueur
) (Barrow Island sub species): 36 animals to Boodie Island in November 1993.
6. Boodie: 40 animals to Alpha Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in June 2011.
7. Boodie: 65 animals to Lorna Glen (Matuwa) in January/February 2010.
8. Northern brushtail possum (
Trichosurus vulpecula arnhemensis
): 111 animals to Cape Range National Park in January/February 2010.
9. Barrow Island black and white fairy-wren (
Malurus leucopterus edouardi
): 31 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in May 2010
10. Barrow Island black and white fairy-wren: 10 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in July 2011.
11. Spinifexbird (
Eremiornis carteri
): 38 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in May 2010 and July 2011.
12. Spinifexbird: 12 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in July 2011.
(d) Survival rate was estimated for some species by monitoring animals fitted with radio collars that have a battery life of approximately 3-6 months. Other survival rate estimates were obtained by trapping and recapturing marked founder animals. Subsequent monitoring of the translocated populations has provided information on population growth and persistence, but not survival of individual animals. Survival rates for the February 2010 translocations are estimated as follows:
- Golden bandicoots to Lorna Glen - estimated > 95% survival rate after three months;
- Golden bandicoots to Hermite Island - estimated > 65% survival rate after five months;
- Brushtail possums to Cape Range National Park - estimated < 5 % survival rate after six months;
- Spectacled hare-wallabies to Hermite Island - estimated > 70% survival rate, but monitoring is difficult because of trap saturation by golden bandicoots; and
- Boodies to Lorna Glen - estimated > 75% survival rate after three months.
(e)-(f) [See Tabled Paper Nos. # and #]
The AEC approves the animal handling components of a translocation and not translocation proposal
per se
. The February 2010 translocation programs were approved by the Department of Parks and Wildlife's A/Director of Nature Conservation before translocations occurred. I table copies of the annual reports of the Threatened and Priority Species Translocation and Reintroduction Program for 2009-10 and 2010-11 that detail activities undertaken. Under the agreed governance arrangements for the translocation program, these reports are provided to the Gorgon Joint Venture partners, the Minister for Environment and the Minister for the Barrow Island Act.
(b)-(c) 1. Golden bandicoot (
Isoodon auratus barrowensis
):161 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in January/February 2010.
2. Golden bandicoot: 164 animals to Lorna Glen (Matuwa) in January/February 2010.
3. Golden bandicoot: 92 animals to Doole Island Nature Reserve, Exmouth Gulf in July 2011.
4. Spectacled hare-wallaby (
Lagorchestes conspicillatus conspicillatus
): 104 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in January/February 2010.
5. Boodie (
Bettongia lesueur
) (Barrow Island sub species): 36 animals to Boodie Island in November 1993.
6. Boodie: 40 animals to Alpha Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in June 2011.
7. Boodie: 65 animals to Lorna Glen (Matuwa) in January/February 2010.
8. Northern brushtail possum (
Trichosurus vulpecula arnhemensis
): 111 animals to Cape Range National Park in January/February 2010.
9. Barrow Island black and white fairy-wren (
Malurus leucopterus edouardi
): 31 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in May 2010
10. Barrow Island black and white fairy-wren: 10 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in July 2011.
11. Spinifexbird (
Eremiornis carteri
): 38 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in May 2010 and July 2011.
12. Spinifexbird: 12 animals to Hermite Island, Montebello Islands Conservation Park in July 2011.
(d) Survival rate was estimated for some species by monitoring animals fitted with radio collars that have a battery life of approximately 3-6 months. Other survival rate estimates were obtained by trapping and recapturing marked founder animals. Subsequent monitoring of the translocated populations has provided information on population growth and persistence, but not survival of individual animals. Survival rates for the February 2010 translocations are estimated as follows:
- Golden bandicoots to Lorna Glen - estimated > 95% survival rate after three months;
- Golden bandicoots to Hermite Island - estimated > 65% survival rate after five months;
- Brushtail possums to Cape Range National Park - estimated < 5 % survival rate after six months;
- Spectacled hare-wallabies to Hermite Island - estimated > 70% survival rate, but monitoring is difficult because of trap saturation by golden bandicoots; and
- Boodies to Lorna Glen - estimated > 75% survival rate after three months.
(e)-(f) [See Tabled Paper Nos. # and #]
The AEC approves the animal handling components of a translocation and not translocation proposal
per se
. The February 2010 translocation programs were approved by the Department of Parks and Wildlife's A/Director of Nature Conservation before translocations occurred. I table copies of the annual reports of the Threatened and Priority Species Translocation and Reintroduction Program for 2009-10 and 2010-11 that detail activities undertaken. Under the agreed governance arrangements for the translocation program, these reports are provided to the Gorgon Joint Venture partners, the Minister for Environment and the Minister for the Barrow Island Act.
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