The iconic Carnaby’s black cockatoo of Southwestern Australia is facing a major threat from a proposed urban expansion plan for Perth and the Peel region.
Under the Green Growth Plan the cockatoo would lose more than 50 per cent of its remaining feeding habitat in the region, with 24,000 hectares of pine plantation and 14,000 hectares of native habitat set to be removed.
The pines are located over an underground aquifer
The plan proposes an offset of 5000 hectares of pines in exchange for the removal, as well as an increase in the level of protection for another 100,000 hectares of existing feeding habitat.
Western Australia’s state environment minister Albert Jacob said the plan is the “best opportunity” for the long term survival of the species.
Coordinator for the Cockies in Crisis project Tegan Douglas said they are seeing a population decline of 15 per cent every year. The bird is already listed as endangered under state and federal legislation, mainly due to historic land clearing.
Ms Douglas said anyone concerned can visit www.birdsyoulove.org for more information or to make a submission on plan, which is open for public consultation until 18 May.
Image: By Ken and Nyetta via Flickr
