Published Thursday, 12 April, 2007 at 01:00 PM
Minister for Environment and Multiculturalism
The Honourable Lindy Nelson-Carr
COMMUNITY SUPPORT HELPING MISSION BEACH CASSOWARIES TO SURVIVE
A partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Australian Rainforest Foundation (ARF) to manage the rehabilitation of cassowaries at Garners Beach has been an outstanding example of community involvement and support for an endangered species, Environment Minister Lindy Nelson Carr said today.
Ms Nelson-Carr said the EPA and ARF have had a formal agreement over the past 12 months in which the ARF assists with the day-to-day management of the Garners Beach cassowary rehabilitation facility.
“Under the agreement, the ARF is providing a full-time caretaker who assists with the management of the rehabilitation centre and the community volunteer program based from the centre,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
“The EPA has been providing the caretaker with cassowary-related training to ensure they can conduct their duties safely and with due respect for the welfare of these icons of the Wet Tropics. In addition, the ARF is also providing financial support for a broad range of projects focussing on cassowary management and research.”
Ms Nelson-Carr said the partnership had enabled EPA officers to increase their capacity to provide support to the cassowaries and other wildlife in the Mission Beach area.
“The Australian Rainforest Foundation is to be highly commended for its commitment to supporting the Mission Beach cassowary population in such as tangible way.
“The cassowary population in Far North Queensland has been under tremendous pressure, especially since Cyclone Larry devastated their feeding areas.
“The EPA has been running a feeding program for the cassowaries since Cyclone Larry hit the area, and at this stage there are three officers based at the rehabilitation facility who are servicing the program.
“Currently, there are 50 feeding stations – 32 in the Tully/Mission Beach area and 18 in the Innisfail area – to ensure that cassowaries at risk are supported until the natural habitat recovers sufficiently. The EPA also uses the feeding stations to draw birds away from high-risk urban areas back into the rainforest - away from roads and dogs.
“The on-going maintenance of the feeding program remains expensive and time-consuming work, with up to 1,000 kilograms of fruit being purchased each week at a cost of $6,000 a week in addition to the 100 kilograms of fruit donated by the community.
“The rehabilitation centre is a vital part of the on-going effort to maintain the cassowary population and to learn more about how to help sick, injured and orphaned birds get better so they can be returned to the wild.
“Currently, five cassowaries being cared for in the rehabilitation centre.
“The EPA continues to supervise the facility with the invaluable support of a committee of representatives from the local community, traditional owners, Main Roads, Natural Resources and Mines, and CSIRO.
“This has become a truly community effort and I want to express my deep appreciation for the support so many people and organisations such as the Australian Rainforest Foundation have given, especially over the very difficult past twelve months,” Ms Nelson Carr said.
Media contact: Karla Steen 3336 8004
Ms Nelson-Carr said the EPA and ARF have had a formal agreement over the past 12 months in which the ARF assists with the day-to-day management of the Garners Beach cassowary rehabilitation facility.
“Under the agreement, the ARF is providing a full-time caretaker who assists with the management of the rehabilitation centre and the community volunteer program based from the centre,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
“The EPA has been providing the caretaker with cassowary-related training to ensure they can conduct their duties safely and with due respect for the welfare of these icons of the Wet Tropics. In addition, the ARF is also providing financial support for a broad range of projects focussing on cassowary management and research.”
Ms Nelson-Carr said the partnership had enabled EPA officers to increase their capacity to provide support to the cassowaries and other wildlife in the Mission Beach area.
“The Australian Rainforest Foundation is to be highly commended for its commitment to supporting the Mission Beach cassowary population in such as tangible way.
“The cassowary population in Far North Queensland has been under tremendous pressure, especially since Cyclone Larry devastated their feeding areas.
“The EPA has been running a feeding program for the cassowaries since Cyclone Larry hit the area, and at this stage there are three officers based at the rehabilitation facility who are servicing the program.
“Currently, there are 50 feeding stations – 32 in the Tully/Mission Beach area and 18 in the Innisfail area – to ensure that cassowaries at risk are supported until the natural habitat recovers sufficiently. The EPA also uses the feeding stations to draw birds away from high-risk urban areas back into the rainforest - away from roads and dogs.
“The on-going maintenance of the feeding program remains expensive and time-consuming work, with up to 1,000 kilograms of fruit being purchased each week at a cost of $6,000 a week in addition to the 100 kilograms of fruit donated by the community.
“The rehabilitation centre is a vital part of the on-going effort to maintain the cassowary population and to learn more about how to help sick, injured and orphaned birds get better so they can be returned to the wild.
“Currently, five cassowaries being cared for in the rehabilitation centre.
“The EPA continues to supervise the facility with the invaluable support of a committee of representatives from the local community, traditional owners, Main Roads, Natural Resources and Mines, and CSIRO.
“This has become a truly community effort and I want to express my deep appreciation for the support so many people and organisations such as the Australian Rainforest Foundation have given, especially over the very difficult past twelve months,” Ms Nelson Carr said.
Media contact: Karla Steen 3336 8004