Rescue Mission for Endangered Eastern Bristlebird

Eastern Bristlebird

In a sign of what we are rapidly coming to appreciate is the “new normal” of severe climatic events in Australia, an extraordinary operation is underway to rescue a remnant population of the endangered Eastern Bristlebird from the bushfires which have been ravaging south-eastern Australia for the past five months.

The unprecedented rescue operation involves the Australian Defence Force, Zoos Victoria, Parks Victoria, Queensland's Currumbin Sanctuary, Monash and Wollongong universities, the Orbost Incident Management Team, and the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

Rohan Clarke with a captured bristlebird

Leading the charge in the field is Monash University's Rohan Clarke. Rohan has written on Facebook of the efforts of a team of people working to save the Howe Flat population of Eastern Bristlebird. The birds are at risk of being consumed by fires which have devastated the nearby town of Mallacoota and hundreds of thousands of hectares of bushland across four states. About 180 bristlebirds frequent the threatened site.

Chinook helicopter to the rescue

Seven rescuers were taken to the area in an ADF Chinook helicopter after flying from Melbourne to Sale. The biodiversity hotspot is threatened by fires burning to the north of Howe Flat – near Marshmead and the Victoria-NSW border in Nadgee Nature Reserve. Says Rohan: “The operation is likely unprecedented both in terms of the action – rescuing an endangered species ahead of an approaching fire – and the level of support provided. My role is to lead a catch team alongside Rowan Mott and people from Zoos Victoria, Parks Victoria and DEWLP.”

Rohan checks the mist-nets

Birds are snared in mist-nets, with 15 having been caught by Wednesday night. With two birds per containment cage, the precious cargo is taken by boat to Mallacoota and then by charter flight to Melbourne Zoo. The best outcome for all concerned is that Howe Flat doesn't burn and the birds can be released back there when the danger is over. Rohan says that alternatively, if the worst happens, a captive insurance population can be used to rebuild the southern population as conditions recover. He adds: “Nestled within this is a positive story where a collection of agencies and organisations and an impressive group of people (both those on the ground but also critically those behind the scenes that just make things happen) have been working together to achieve this.”

Says Victorian Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio: “Our hardworking teams are ensuring this precious little bird has a chance at a bright future despite the impact of these devastating fires, which are still posing a threat to our native wildlife.”

Captured bristlebirds head to safety

With 15 birds in protection, the first phase of the mission is completed; the target had been between 15 and 20. Says Rohan: "There's still lots of hard work ahead. People remain on the ground fighting the fires to protect assets such as the incredible biodiversity at Howe Flat.  Zoos Victoria is pulling out all stops to house and support a very special bird. Work is underway to plan and implement the next steps that will aid with recovery this species and others impacted by the fires."

Eastern Bristlebirds can breed successfully in captivity. Currumbin Sanctuary has bred several pairs of the critically endangered northern population that frequents the NSW-Queensland border area. That population is likely to have been hit by fires which raced through its distributional range last September. About half the territory of one pair I've been monitoring for several years has burned.

By some estimates, as many as one billion wild animals have perished in the bushfires.

Eastern Bristlebird