THE fight to save one of Australia’s rarest birds is looking promising according to the latest population monitoring results in northern Victoria.
The North Central Catchment Management Authority is working with local landholders, Parks Victoria, First Nations groups, the Victorian plains-wanderer operations group, the National Recovery Team and other key stakeholders to protect and restore numbers of the critically endangered plains-wanderer in northern Victoria.
The plains-wanderer sits alone on the evolutionary tree, having been around since Australia was connected to South America and Antarctica 60 million years ag.
There are currently fewer than 1000 individuals left.
About 99 per cent of its native grassland habitat has been lost to land clearing for farming and urban development.
The North Central CMA’s Plains for Wanderers project aims to improve grassland habitat and mitigate the threat of predation on Victoria’s northern plains near Patho and Bael Bael, home to one of two core plains-wanderer populations.
North Central CMA project manager Laura Chant said the key to the quail-like bird’s survival was protecting and improving habitat through changed land management practices and controlling predators such as foxes.
“There’s nothing like the plains-wanderer in the world,” Ms Chant said.
“It’s unique and worth protecting.
“The work we are all doing is focused on creating the species’ preferred habitat condition and removing key threats such as foxes to help it survive and, one day, thrive.
“So far, the results are promising.”
The latest Bush Heritage Australia monitoring detected 33 adults (19 female and 14 male) and 17 juveniles, including two clutches of chicks.
That estimates out to a population of 731 in the sites under management.
“These numbers are encouraging from a conservation perspective as they suggest imminent regional extinction is unlikely,” Mrs Chant said.
“Some of the land these birds call home was impacted by the 2022 floods so to see the numbers remain steady is good news.
“It also highlights that previous long-term investment in vegetation management and active fox control, delivered in partnership with landholders and partners, is working.
“The next step is to keep the focus on habitat enhancement and predator control with an aim to increasing plains-wanderer numbers.”
