THE federal government is partnering with Moon lit Sanctuary, Pearcedale to build an aviary for young orange-bellied parrots to survive their first winter.

Research has shown that a high proportion of the endangered parrots born in the wild fail to survive their first migration across Bass Strait to Tasmania. “With only 50 adults left in the wild, and around 350 adult birds in captivity, we need to increase the breeding population – every bird matters here,” Flinders MP Greg Hunt said.

“Using this technique, known as ranching, the birds will be released back into the wild population in Tasmania next summer, increasing the breeding population in 2018-19.”

Environment and Energy Minister Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg said the  government had “mobilised more than $6 million for projects to support the parrot since 2014”.

“This includes multi-year emergency biosecurity measures, vaccination protocols for controlling pisttacine beak and feather disease – a key threat to the birds – and supporting recovery actions guided by the Orange-bellied Parrot Strategic Action Planning Group.”

For details about the orange-bellied parrot and another 19 threatened birds go to www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/commissioner

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 27 March 2018