Latest news with #VictorianAlps
ABC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Gang-gang cockatoos struggling in freezing Victorian Alps
Some endangered gang-gang cockatoos birds are being found grounded in the snow in the Victorian Alps, weak and disoriented and suffering from hypothermia.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Gang-gang cockatoos suffer hypothermia, frozen wings in Victorian Alps
Skiers and holiday-makers are enjoying one of the strongest season openings for years as thick snow blankets the Victorian Alps. But gang-gang cockatoos, who usually prefer cool temperatures, are at risk of dying in the freezing conditions. The endangered birds are being found grounded in the snow, weak and disoriented, suffering from hypothermia. Deb Howie, who has been rescuing stricken birds at Falls Creek, said the "cold and windy" conditions were taking a toll. "This winter has been so brutal … we're finding that there are quite a few gang-gangs that are actually struggling," she said. "They're grounded on the snow, and they don't really move. Falls Creek visitors have been advised to carry cloth bags or pillowcases while walking, so they can gently capture any grounded birds and keep them warm while waiting for help. Ms Howie said of the 10 gang-gangs she had rescued so far, most were juveniles. Wildlife carer Jo Mitlehner has also been involved in the rescue efforts and said it was crucial to reunite separated mates, as gang-gangs pair for life. At the start of the snow season, she rescued a mature female gang-gang that had been separated from her partner. "We found her crawling in the snow at Falls Creek," she said. Ms Mitlehner said as soon as the female was well enough, she was returned to where she had been found because the gang-gangs were preparing to leave the area. On release, another carer believed he heard a nearby gang-gang responding to her call. Ms Mitlehner said the birds were not usually found at such high altitudes in winter. While not strictly migratory, they often move from mountain forests to lower elevations during colder months. Ms Mitlehner said she and her team thought a longer summer might have allowed for a second breeding season, leaving more juveniles unprepared for the cold snap. Sean Dooley from BirdLife Australia said shifting climate patterns could be a factor in why the birds had not moved down the mountains. "It could be related to the fact that over the past decade or so, we have had much milder winters, and perhaps the gang-gangs have started to adapt to this shift in climate and not been moving as far," he said. According to the latest data, gang-gang populations have already suffered a sharp decline — a drop of nearly 70 per cent between 1999 and 2019. The 2019–2020 bushfires caused further devastation. In 2022, the parrot was officially listed as endangered, with an estimated 25,300 mature birds remaining in the wild. "Experts say the likely reason for the decline in gang-gangs has been the destruction of the big old, hollow-bearing trees that they nest in up in mountainous areas, from native-forest logging," Mr Dooley said. A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson confirmed that much of Victoria had endured below-average minimum temperatures for June. And while there is still cold weather ahead in the short term, the bureau's forecast for August to October is for warmer-than-average temperatures. Until then, Falls Creek head of visitor experience David Leathem urged snow-goers to keep an eye out for "vulnerable species, particularly the endangered gang-gang cockatoo". "We encourage residents and visitors to stay alert and contact local wildlife carers for assistance and advice."
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Aussie property owner's moment of 'terror' after discovery on trail camera
A disturbing moment captured on a trail camera highlights the constant danger Australia's native creatures face from invasive predators. Footage taken just minutes apart shows a European red fox stalking a superb lyrebird at a five-hectare property in the foothills of the Victorian Alps. The man who set up the camera, Henry During, revealed that seeing the fox skulk into the frame made his stomach sink. 'I thought, here we go, more terror to be had on the property,' he told Yahoo News. The fox can be seen wandering between logs at 8.23am, then at 8.38 the lyrebird wanders into frame. Just one minute later the lyrebird has gone, and the fox sniffs the air in its direction. 'It's pretty hard, you can't really stop them. You get rid of one, and another just turns up.' During said. Two-thirds of During's property has been kept as bushland. The land is adjacent to a sprawling state forest that's home to a colourful array of wild animals and birds, but also feral deer, cats and foxes. While During sees the odd possum slaughtered by foxes, he's yet to see any evidence that they've killed a lyrebird. And there's good reason for this. La Trobe University ecologist Dr Alex Maisey specialises in superb lyrebird behaviour and has found it's uncommon for the species to be taken by foxes because of their intelligence and physical ability. 'What they typically do is jump up into a tree and scream with a high pitch,' he told Yahoo. 'Then 10 minutes later they're back on the ground feeding and you think, So you're pretty confident the fox isn't going to come back. But I think the fox probably knows its been spotted and it's not worth continuing the hunt.' The lyrebird's advanced abilities are evidenced in the male's song. Not only does it learn from the environment around it, but the birds also pass on sounds from one generation to the next. Lyrebirds were brought to Tasmania in the 1930s and 1940s, and although there aren't any whip birds in the island state, they continue to reference their sound. Similarly, pilotbirds have vanished from Victoria's Sherbrooke Forest, east of Melbourne, and yet their sounds are still heard in the song of male lyrebirds. It's when the females are nesting on their mound for six weeks of incubation, and then three weeks of brooding the chick, that they're at a higher risk of predation from foxes. 'It's not uncommon to find female feathers around nests where there's been a predation,' Maisey said. 'And the problem for our lyrebirds is if they nest up in a tree fork or hollow, our native birds of prey are really good at finding the nests and they'll eat all the eggs. They'll probably do up to 1,000 trips up into the tree, which is a big energy expenditure but it often doesn't pay off.' Rare animal hiding in outback photo helps solve decades-long mystery Details in satellite photos spark 'worrying' prediction Tourists almost kill 'world's oldest' creature Australian birds naturally work together to warn each other of threats including cats, foxes, snakes and goannas. Sometimes fearless species like noisy miners will even flock together to feign attack, driving them away. Warning calls are usually high-pitched and understood by multiple species. Yellow robins and scrub wrens are known for making particularly 'harsh' alarm calls. 'There's a whole forest-wide alarm system. They all listen to other birds and react,' he said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
