Biodiversity Council

CSIRO scientists have sequenced the full genome of the spotted handfish for the first time; a Critically Endangered fish that prefers to “walk” rather than swim. “The spotted handfish, along with the red handfish, are two of Australia’s most critically endangered fish species. A reference genome is the equivalent of having the puzzle box lid whilst trying to complete a 400,000-piece puzzle,” said Biodiversity Council member Carolyn Hogg FRSN, whose team at The University of Sydney is currently sequencing the red handfish genome. “These genomic resources will help inform decisions relating to the captive breeding and ongoing conservation management actions for the spotted handfish.” Read the full article at The Guardian: https://lnkd.in/g26PXntH

Last chance to register for our Global Nature Positive Summit webinar at 1:30pm (AEDT) (10:30am in WA, 12pm NT, 12:30pm QLD, 1pm SA). Register now at: https://lnkd.in/g9U_ZMRW

Spaces are filling up fast for our webinar this Thursday 17 October, don't miss out! Join three expert panellists at 1:30pm (AEDT) as they reflect on the key takeaways and implications of last week's Global Nature Positive Summit. Register now at: https://lnkd.in/g9U_ZMRW

Expert shooters will be deployed in NSW national parks to control cat numbers to reduce impacts on wildlife. “Strategic cat management is always welcome. Bringing the cat numbers down before drier conditions set back in again, and prey populations start to shrink, can dampen hyper-predation of cats on native animals,” responded Sarah Legge, Biodiversity Council member and Professor of Wildlife Conservation at The Australian National University. “Shooting can also be useful if it’s used to lower cat numbers around the sites of native species that are susceptible to cat predation. The shooting effort needs to be intensive and sustained.” Read the full article at ABC News: https://lnkd.in/gAjNaQnM

We welcome the new $102 million Australian Government investment in the H5N1 bird flu virus response. Biodiversity Council Director James Trezise said, ”This investment is a massive boost for preparing for the impacts of bird flu on our wildlife populations. “Minister Collins and Minister Plibersek need to be commended for listening to the scientific experts and ramping up resourcing to tackle this major biosecurity risk. “If the H5N1 strain makes it to Australia’s shores, which could happen any day as we are in migration season, it could devastate wildlife populations. “While we are very concerned about impacts on wildlife that are on the brink of extinction, research shows that even common species, such as the black swan, could be decimated by the arrival of this aggressive bird flu strain. “We now need to make sure this preparedness funding reaches our most vulnerable places and wildlife to give them a fighting chance, including looking at the potential for vaccinating our most-at-risk species where feasible. “We also need to accept this is only a downpayment on a full-scale response should H5N1 make it to our shores.” https://lnkd.in/gK6GbqKR

Terrific news! The Australian Government has just announced $100 million to prepare for the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain, which could arrive any day and has decimated wildlife overseas. In addition to support for the agricultural sector the funding includes: 🦆 $36 million for wildlife preparation, 🦢 $7 million for Wildlife Health Australia to do surveillance, and 🦭 $10 million for a public communication campaign Thank you to Agriculture Minister Julie Collins and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek for making this happen. We would like to acknowledge the leadership of the Invasive Species Council on this issue and the close collaboration of NGO's we've been working with to build government ambition, including BirdLife Australia Australian Marine Conservation Society WIRES Inc Australian Land Conservation Alliance. Read more on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): https://lnkd.in/gw9J6AKG

The survival of 14 species of native fish is being threatened by conflicting government policies and programs. While one arm of government is actively trying to save these species from extinction while another arm is deliberately introducing one of their primary threats into their habitat. "Invasive trout are one of the biggest threats to Australia’s native galaxias and we shouldn’t be adding to the problem by continually stocking our waterways with trout, said Biodiversity Council Director James Trezise. "This is self-defeating and a recipe for failure from a conservation point of view." "Native galaxias fish are some of Australia’s most threatened species, with 14 assessed as having at least 50 per cent chance of going extinct in the next 20 years.  These small fish species have evolved in Australia over millions of years but could likely be lost in a single human lifetime without concerted action. "It’s critical that we create trout free safe-havens in our inland waterways and rapidly develop an invasive fish action plan to ensure that our vanishing native species don’t go extinct and can actually survive in the wild." Read more by Mike Foley at The Sydney Morning Herald: https://lnkd.in/gKrqSv8S

Karajarri and Ngurrara rangers are combining traditional knowledge with modern technology and science to refine their fire management strategies in northwestern Australia’s Great Sandy Desert. Collaborating with Biodiversity Council member Professor Sarah Legge, Karajarri and Ngurrara rangers found that a traditional patchwork burning approach retained a variety of suitable habitats to support the mammal and reptile species that call the desert home, while reducing fire size by 40-52%. Read the full article at The Conversation: https://lnkd.in/gZGh3S7Y.

“By measuring what might seem immeasurable, businesses can become part of the solution to the nature crisis.” Biodiversity Council members Professor brendan wintle and Professor Sarah Bekessy call for a collaboration between business and nature experts in a new article from The Conversation. They outline 3 key steps to gauge the impact of a business on the environment: 🌱 Understanding how a business broadly intersects with nature. 🌱 Evaluating how specific business activities intersect with and put pressure on nature. 🌱 Measuring and reporting how business activities impact specific animals, plants and ecosystems. The last step is where businesses can turn to the expertise of ecologists. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gDXuupwn

Missed the Global Nature Positive Summit this week and keen to hear our perspective? Wondering what comes next? Join three expert panellists at our summit debrief webinar next Thursday at 1:30pm (AEDT) as they reflect on the key takeaways and implications of the summit. Register at: https://lnkd.in/g9U_ZMRW Hear from our councillors: 🗣 Barry J Hunter, North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance CEO. 🗣 Professor Sarah Bekessy, ICON Science research group lead at RMIT University. 🗣 Dr. Rachel Morgain, Deputy Director of the Melbourne Biodiversity Institute at The University of Melbourne. Talks will be followed by a Q&A. Register at: https://lnkd.in/g9U_ZMRW