Latest news with #conservation
ABC News
17 minutes ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Hope for regent honeyeater with signs of booming blossoms after NSW rain and floods
A silver lining has emerged in the wake of record-breaking flooding across parts of New South Wales with signs the wet weather has created prime conditions for nectar-feeing birds, including the critically endangered regent honeyeater. There have been observations of a mass eucalypt budding event in the wake of the flooding across the Mid North Coast and Hunter regions. Mick Roderick, Birdlife Australia's regent honeyeater recovery adviser, said he had seen various eucalypt species thriving in the Hunter after their prolonged soaking during April and May. He said as the different species flowered the blossom season could last throughout the next year at least. It would provide food for the regent honeyeater, a species which has dropped to around 300 wild birds. "To know that so many trees will be flowering from a breeding season, right through summer and winter … is significant for a critically endangered species that relies almost exclusively on nectar," Mr Roderick said. "It provides the regent honeyeaters that are left with an opportunity to take advantage of those conditions and hopefully successfully breed. Mr Roderick said Birdlife Australia had recent evidence of hundreds of honeyeaters of various species and lorikeets feeding on the coast where swamp mahogany trees were flowering, while white box was flowering on the western slopes. He said many other eucalypts had been observed putting on buds in preparation for flowering. "The exciting thing is we seem to now have a mass budding of certain eucalypts, certainly in the Hunter Valley, and most of the buds have appeared after the really heavy rain," Mr Roderick said. "So we have red gums, ironbarks, grey gums, and then spotted gums to follow all these spring flowering gums. Mr Roderick said eucalypt blossoms typically dropped during drier years and it was the most promising blossom season in the region since heavy rainfall in 2021/'22. "We're going to have two exceptional seasons within four years of each other, which is pretty incredible," he said. Dean Nicolle, a consultant botanist and ecologist specialising in eucalypts, said there were more than 800 different eucalypt species throughout Australia and that certain species grew strongly in the wake of prolonged rainfall. "Some species are very tolerant of flooding and waterlogged soils and are much more drought sensitive, while other species are much more drought tolerant," he said. "The species described [in the Hunter], like spotted gums and ironbarks, are generally species of hillsides and ranges. "They would be responding to increased moisture in the soil, so conditions are good for growing. "They can take up as much water as they want, grow lots of leaves and then flower heavily." The budding eucalypts are also a welcome sight for apiarists, including Hunter Valley-based Colin Wilson who has been a commercial beekeeper for about 45 years. "In the Hunter Valley at the moment there's ironbark species putting buds on, spotted gum trees, grey gum trees, so there's a fair range of trees which will all flower at different stages," he said. "The last few years they have been below average in the amount of flowering and nectar and it's looking a lot more hopeful for the next 12 months. "Trees bud sometimes six months or more in advance before they flower. As a beekeeper you then know there'll be some honeyflows." Mr Wilson had to euthanase bees when varroa mite was detected in the region several years ago. "A lot of people around here have suffered quite a lot financially over the last few years because hives were euthanased," he said. "We brought bees back again when we were allowed to and have a growing process of expanding bee numbers. "When you can see a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel it does give you a bit of hope."
ABC News
4 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
Crocodile 'housing crisis' inspires sanctuary in Far North Queensland
A potential "housing crisis" for crocodiles has inspired one Far North Queensland grazier to build a croc sanctuary on the family farm. Removals of problem crocs from the wild have been on an upward trend since 2020 and hit a record high last year, according to data from the Queensland government. Crocodiles can live for more than 120 years in captivity and cannot legally be killed for commercial purposes once taken into captivity. So, if these trends continue, where will they all live? Cattle farmer Jesse Crampton has been busily digging out containment ponds and erecting sturdy fences on his property in Far North Queensland for the past year. The Babinda-based grazier has also worked with crocodiles for more than a decade in zoological, farming and management roles. He admits building a small croc sanctuary directly next to a herd of big, juicy bovines is rather unconventional. The "icons" he refers to are crocs longer than 4 metres which, under conservation laws, can only be placed with a registered crocodile farm or zoo that agrees to use them for education about crocodile conservation. "They can't technically be used for commercial use, so they can't be destroyed for farming aspects," he said. "So a lot of the croc farms, once they've got their stock, they've got nowhere to put these large animals." Mr Crampton already has one such tenant on the books — a "big icon fella" trapped at Lakefield on Cape York after continually wandering into people's campsites. "This animal could be 80 years old and survived that commercial shooting era. "He'd have a few stories to tell — so he was quite a significant animal for us to get for our first crocodile." In 2024, a record 77 crocodiles were removed from Queensland waters — up from 48 the previous year. Already, 37 crocs have been taken from the wild so far this year. "Our priority is to rehome all crocodiles that have been removed from the wild," a Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) spokesperson said. "Every crocodile we have offered to a suitable farm or zoo has been rehomed. "Only when environmental issues prevent us from setting traps, or animal welfare issues prevent us from being able to rehome them in suitable facilities, crocodiles are humanely euthanised." The department has not yet revealed to the ABC how many have been euthanised in the past five years. However, not everyone is convinced that the rehoming practice can continue forever. John Lever has been operating Koorana Crocodile Farm near Rockhampton since 1981 and has billeted more wild-caught crocs than he cares to count. "They're going to run out of space," he warned. "Farmers can't just take them all on. "I caught a big one up near Airlie Beach in Kelsey Creek — that was 4.8m long when I caught it in 1986, and it lived until 2020. "You get a big croc like that and think it might only live for a few years — and then it lives for another 34 years." Mr Lever intended to keep trying to find space for new crocs, but said taking on such long-term tenants was not sustainable. He predicted a day may come when "hard decisions" must be made between rehoming and euthanasing animals that interact with humans. "You can pen them in smaller pens and give them all their biological needs — feed them once a week, and give them enough room to turn around," he said. "But they're an isolated animal then. "They're just living on their own for no real purpose. "There are plenty of them out there, so it's not an issue of trying to save the last few crocs to get breeding colonies going. "I just don't think you can look after every crocodile." The Queensland Crocodile Management Plan says Queensland's estuarine crocodile population is estimated to be between 20,000 and 30,000 "non-hatchlings" — meaning greater than 60cm in length. Further north at Bloomsbury, Bredl's Wildlife Farm croc trainer Zebulon Bredl said he had received about a dozen calls in the past month with offers of new wild-caught crocs. "We're turning down a fair few," he said. "If you take two, you'd be lucky to get one or two females. "And as soon as those males hit 2.5m, you're looking at individual ponds because they start fighting." Mr Bredl said operators were not informed of a crocodile's sex before deciding whether to accept it onto their property. "That's an added risk — and if they did that, everyone would just hold off and only accept the females for breeding." Mr Bredl argued Queensland should follow the Northern Territory's model of wild egg harvesting to slow population growth. "We're nearly full — we've got 18 big fellas over 2.5m here at the moment," he said. "We can start putting in more infrastructure, but we don't need it and it's all an expense." Regulatory barriers to starting a new croc farm or sanctuary would have most people running for the hills — but not Mr Crampton. "It certainly deflated the bubble a few times," he said. The sanctuary will not produce meat or skins, but Mr Crampton has the required permits to pair crocs so fertilised eggs can be sold to commercial breeders. The facility's chief source of income will come through group training. "I've been training particularly Indigenous ranger groups to be able to manage crocs, how to handle and how to work safely alongside crocodiles," he said. Mr Crampton did not believe his modest operation would solve any future crocodile real estate crunch outright. But he was keen to play his part. "I've still got a long way to go with the croc compound, but I've got four enclosures up and running, and three crocs at the moment," he said. "It's not going to be a large-scale operation, but over time I might be able to make a dozen enclosures and house some icons." And as for the neighbours? They can rest easy in the knowledge that the barriers are very sturdy. "I mean in our cane drains and creeks and rivers and all that, there's crocs — so [the cattle] are pretty croc savvy," Mr Crampton said. "But of course I've got the crocs on the other side of the fence, so I don't have too much of an issue."
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
Third person sentenced in relation to Awarua fire
Photo: A third person has been sentenced in relation to a wildfire that burned through a peat wetland in Southland during a total fire ban. The person pleaded guilty to allowing a fire lit by another person to get out of control. She has been convicted and discharged in the Invercargill District Court. In January, one offender was sentenced to seven months' home detention, and to pay reparations of $10,000, and the other was sentenced to 200 hours' community work and 12 months' supervision, and reparations of $10,000. The fire was lit in the Awarua Wetlands in Southland on 2 April 2022 during a prohibited fire season which meant a total fire ban was in place. Fire and Emergency deputy national commander Steph Rotarangi said firefighters fought the fire for more than a week. It burnt through 1330 hectares and had environmental and financial consequences in an internationally recognised conservation area. "Given the significance of the impact of the Awarua Wetlands fire, and the fact the area was under a total fire ban, we considered it appropriate to prosecute three individuals for the fire," she said. This was the second prosecution under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017 - the first resulted in an $18,000 fine for an unauthorised burn-off. The Department of Conservation's southern South Island operations director Aaron Fleming said the fire caused significant damage to the biodiversity and ecosystem of the wetlands, released vast carbon emissions, and seriously set back conservation work in the area. Photo: Supplied / Ngāi Tahu "Awarua Wetlands is one of the largest remaining wetland complexes in this country and was recognised as New Zealand's first Ramsar Convention on Wetlands site of international importance in 1976," he said. "The fire burned about 980ha of wetland plants, which is an important habitat for threatened species like matuku-hūrepo/Australasian bittern and other birds, plants, insects, lizards, and fish. It also injured or killed a high number of animals." Weeds like gorse and Spanish heath were already beginning to invade the burned areas, in some places outcompeting native plants. It was estimated about 104,000 tonnes of carbon emissions were released into the atmosphere from this fire - equivalent to driving about 409,829,000 kilometres in an average petrol car. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Times
6 hours ago
- General
- Times
Tiger tiger… India's most luxurious new safari lodge burns bright
It was one of those #tellmewithouttellingme moments that showed I was in tiger country. I was on my way to Bandhavgarh, a wildlife sanctuary and national park in the Madhya Pradesh region of central India, and the traffic on the two-lane bridge ahead was jammed. Motorbikes, cars and buses blocked the road. Oblivious to the furious honking of those wanting to pass, dozens of locals stood by the wayside recording the adjoining grassland on their mobile phones. Women in saris, many with their faces hidden by the drape, several carrying children, stood excitedly pointing at something. No one was paying heed to the lone forest guard, much less his attempt to restore order — 'don't get off your vehicles', 'keep moving', 'don't stop'. 'Fools,' said my driver, exasperated. 'There's this tigress that frequents the area and she charges at people when irritated.' As if on cue, we heard a low guttural growl that clearly meant: 'Leave me alone.' The rebellious (and reckless) crowd would have none of it. The cacophony only grew louder as the adult tigress, an impressive representative of her kind, stepped out of the tall grass into full view. At about four feet from paw to shoulder, and seven feet from head to tail, she was a muscular ambassador for India's tiger conservation success story, and of Bandhavgarh's role in it. There are approximately 5,574 wild tigers remaining in the world, according to the Global Tiger Forum, and more than 66 per cent of them (3,682) can be found in India. The reserve is home to 135, and density is high — 7.5 tigers per 100 sq km, according to a 2023 Indian government report. It has more individuals than the smaller and more popular Ranthambore reserve in neighbouring Rajasthan, which has 57 (though 9.6 animals per 100 sq km). Also to Bandhavgarh's advantage is its flat, deciduous scrubland, which ensures sightings are plentiful and often easy, such as the one I enjoyed even before arriving at my tiger-spotting safari destination: the new Oberoi Vindhyavilas hotel. Thankfully, the feline decided not to live up to her reputation, choosing instead to disappear behind a veil of sal (a type of hardwood) trees and tall bamboo. • India's best safaris As I drove up to the entrance of the Vindhyavilas, the thick foliage screening the property parted to reveal a squat structure with traditional terracotta-tiled sloping roofs, then large hand-carved wooden doors featuring motifs borrowed from the tattoo artwork of the local Gond community, a native tribe of forest dwellers. The Oberoi Group, which operates 22 hotels and resorts in India, has changed its stripes for this light and airy hotel, doing away with its usual gilt and brocade in favour of a rustic chic look. Inside, there is more tribal art: a relief wall showed a ceremonial procession of the Baiga (another of the region's tribes) and lamps of burnished metal hang from a vaulted ceiling. Dark woods, muted shades of textiles and lustrous leather reminded me of safari lodges in Kenya and Tanzania, and cubbyholed partitions held studio pottery, wooden deer heads and potted plants. The tiger, Bandhavgarh's emblem, is pictured via the paintings of a local artist, embossed on brass dinnerware and printed on lampshades. Sweeping views are of tall waving grasses, towering trees and a lake with lotuses and fountains beside the pool (there's a spa and gym too). • More great wildlife holiday ideas I headed straight to the restaurant for a late lunch of khichdi, a sumptuous dish of rice and lentils with yoghurt and pickled vegetables, then curled up for a nap in my luxurious glass-walled tent-like structure (actually a building with canvas over the top) — one of 19, each with its own private garden and sun deck. There are two villas too. I needed a rest ahead of my few days of game drives, which generally start at 5.30am and last for five hours, and run again in the afternoons — another four hours. That evening I ate at the Bush Kitchen, outside by the lake, where the gentle breeze, the rustle of trees, the chirping of crickets and the 'ribbits' of frogs soothed and refreshed me further. If you're a safari newbie, especially in India, entering a tiger reserve can feel like a feat of endurance. Rickety, mini 4×4 SUVs, manufactured by the Indian company Maruti Suzuki, line up at the entrances. The sun has just about risen and birds are out for breakfast. Forest guards in charge of protecting the reserve check tickets. And when the gates open drivers race each other on dirt tracks to get to where forest department trackers have spotted animals. The landscape is rugged, with bumpy tracks leading over hills and through thick jungle. As someone with a chronic back ailment, I found the Oberoi's souped-up Mahindra 4×4 SUVs a game changer, and much more comfortable. • Where to go in India Less comfortable is the summer heat, with temperatures reaching the mid-40s, but so be it: this is the best season for tiger spotting, a time when animals park themselves near watering holes. The alarm calls of birds, deer and monkeys are the best indicators a tiger or leopard is nearby, though the screech of a jungle fowl from behind tall grass turned out to signal a sloth bear digging for termites. On one afternoon drive, as we swept past a rancid pool, our guide did a sharp turn and braked to a halt. As the dust settled, what he was pointing to, about 500m away, came into focus. A tiger, half hidden under a tree. Suddenly the head lifted to examine us; the ears twitched. Then the tail rose like an antenna. It was an 18-month-old, only recently separated from his mother. He decided we were no threat and rolled over with his belly to the sky to snooze in the shade. He looked an adorable furball, but then I remembered seeing tigers bring down sambhar swamp deer with a swoop of their paws, and the occasion I witnessed a tigress clashing with her former mate, leaving his jaw hanging by a sinew. Bandhavgarh is part of a network of tiger reserves, including Panna (with 79 animals) in the north, Kanha (360) to the south and Satpura (149) to the west, so if you're coming to the area — which is six hours' drive south of Delhi, or just over four from the closer regional airport at Jabalpur — you could plan to tour a couple, as well as the nearby Unesco world heritage site of Khajuraho, with its 11th-century Hindu and Jain temples. On my second morning I joined Soulin Chakraborty, Vindhyavilas's lead naturalist, on a birding walk around the 21-acre property, home to up to 65 species, depending on the season. We saw green bee-eaters, jungle babblers, plum-headed parakeets, black-hooded orioles, an Indian grey hornbill and the rare Jerdon's leafbird, and about a dozen types of butterfly. • Discover our full guide to safari holidays The abundance is thanks to the carpets of fountain grass, sal, arjun, mango and mohua trees, endemic species planted here. In summer locals ferment the mohua's flowers and brew into a heady liquor that has the herbaceousness of gin and the sharpness of tequila, versions of which are fast becoming a favourite of India's top mixologists. Surprisingly, the Oberoi's own cocktails don't use this ingredient, though others play on local lore. For instance Kaa, the python from Jungle Book (which was inspired by the jungles of central India), is transformed into a tequila-based drink called the Rock Python, using a homemade elderflower syrup. Charger, a dark rum cocktail, pays homage to one of Bandhavagarh's most famous tigers, and the refreshing non-alcoholic, thyme-flavoured Brahmi is named after an ancient script carved into caves within the forest. This region of Madhya Pradesh is called Bagelkhand and has its own distinct language and cuisine. The hotel's executive chef Sachin Kumar spent time with a local royal family's cooks, and several of their recipes have been incorporated into the hotel's repertoire: a fiery red amaranth stir-fry with a lentil and yoghurt curry, and jungli maas, a traditional preparation of red meat slow cooked with ghee, red chillies, onions and garlic. There are other cuisines too: chicken schnitzel, braised pork belly and Neapolitan-style pizzas straight from the oven that had the kids on a neighbouring table stuffing their faces. The dish I savoured most was butternut squash with a cashew cream; roasted just enough to be cooked through without losing its juiciness. On my last afternoon safari drive, as we sat watching a tigress dozing in a pool, it occurred to me that it wasn't just the tiger sightings that had made my three days here memorable. It was the thoughtful touches that usually make or break a stay. Earplugs by the bedside. The mini menu in the airport transfer vehicle so you can order your lunch or dinner even before you've checked in. It's that kind of service that makes a stay like this Ramamurthy was a guest of Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort, which has all-inclusive doubles from £590 ( Fly to Delhi This eight-night private tour visits three of central India's national parks to spot the tiger and some of the country's other animals and birds including the sloth bear, wild boar, rhesus monkey, black kite and the almost-extinct swamp deer. After a night in Delhi, you'll spend two nights in Bandhavgarh National Park, three in a lodge in Kanha National Park, home to about 125 tigers and 100 leopards, and two in Pench National Park. Up to 11 game drives are included along the way, and you will be joined by a naturalist for extra insight. Details Eight nights' B&B from £3,645pp, including internal flights, transfers, excursions and most extra meals ( Fly to Delhi It's no easy feat to set eyes on one of the world's rarest big cats. This escorted group trip to Ladakh in India's far northwest includes four nights in the region's capital Leh, plus six nights staying in a remote mountain guesthouse in the Ulley Valley. This new guesthouse has comfortable rooms but basic facilities including shared bathrooms. The region is home to ten snow leopards and expert local guides will maximise your chances of spotting one. The tour concludes with two nights in Delhi, including a trip to Sultanpur National Park and Bird Sanctuary. Details Twelve nights' B&B from £4,795pp, including flights, transfers, excursions and most extra meals ( The endangered red panda lives mainly in the trees of the temperate Eastern Himalayan forests. This private tailored tour includes four full days searching for this hard-to-spot mammal, staying in a cosy homestay in the Singalila National Park and eating local dishes with the host family. Expert guides will lead daily excursions in the surrounding forests and mountains looking for red pandas while spotting other animals like the Himalayan black bear, clouded leopard and exotic bird life. A night in a Delhi hotel is included before and after the tour, and an optional extension to explore Darjeeling can be Seven nights' B&B from £2,200pp, including flights and transfers ( Fly to Delhi
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Country Life: Dollars for nature - can biodiversity credits fix NZ's conservation woes?
Photo: RNZ/Sally Round If mud and dead things aren't your thing but you still want trees planted, pests killed and wetlands to flourish, you could pay others to do the hard slog through biodiversity credits. Not to be confused with carbon credits, they are a way for private investors and corporations to pay others to save the skink or clean up sludgy streams and, in so doing, meet the expectations of a company's increasingly green customers. A biodiversity credit market is something the government has been perusing for a few years now , given limited public funds to pay for the huge costs involved in protecting and restoring nature. At Fieldays this month Associate Minister for the Environment Andrew Hoggard said farmers and other landowners were already doing their bit to protect biodiversity and wanted to do more. "Supporting voluntary nature credits markets is a chance for the government to show them the carrot, not just the stick. "We want to connect those caring for the land with investors who support conservation." Bunker, one of four male kākāpō, moved to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in 2023. Photo: Supplied / Jake Osborne This week, Christchurch-based business consultancy Ekos launched its own biodiversity credit scheme, BioCredita, where investors can purchase bundles of credits to fund nature projects, including Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari , a fenced eco-sanctuary in Waikato. The project, covering 3363 hectares, costs $5000 daily to run and is hoping to fund operations through credits or units priced at $12 each, representing the cost of protecting one hundredth of a hectare. The first buyer, according to Ekos' chief executive Sean Weaver, is a window manufacturer "who liked the idea of selling biodiversity-enriched windows". "They can't do much biodiversity conservation in the factory, but they can support a nearby project, which is what they've done," Weaver told Country Life . Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts. The Ekos credits are measured, independently verified and registered, and the project monitored to ensure operators do what they say they're doing, Weaver said. "We've built a standard called the Ecos SD standard, which defines all of the things you need to do in order to demonstrate the benefits that you're delivering. And then we've built a registry, a digital registry on blockchain technology, so that these units can be issued once they've been verified to the standard, and then they can be tracked and traced across." Weaver stresses the credits, unlike carbon credits, are not for use to offset damage to the environment. Pest control in native forest Photo: RNZ/Sally Round The Maungatautari project is among several pilot projects which the government is hoping to learn from. Others include a Silver Fern Farms project and Te Toa Whenua Northland which is transitioning around 100 ha from exotic forestry to native trees and includes pest control on iwi-owned land. A voluntary biodiversity credit market is just another tool for companies, both here and overseas, which want to fund New Zealand's conservation efforts, according to Hayden Johnston, GM for the Natural Environment at the Ministry for the Environment. "We know that in New Zealand, companies are spending in the millions of dollars each year to keep up with either their regulatory requirements or claims that they want to make about their brands. "I think people see New Zealand as a ... country that has high credibility in the international space, and I feel really confident that we could be creating some really high-end premium products or credits to be offered internationally. "One of the key questions we've always had is, you know, who is going to buy these things, and what do they want to buy?" Ekos' Sean Weaver said his scheme ultimately wants to attract foreign revenue to New Zealand which is seen as a hotspot for biodiversity. "Imagine going to Europe and lassooing, I don't know, 10,20,30,40 hundred million dollars worth of demand from big actors in those economies so that we can create a fire hose of money to point at New Zealand conservation interests. That's really the goal here." But what about criticism the credits could be another vehicle for greenwashing - companies exaggerating or misleading consumers about their green credentials? The integrity of biodiversity schemes is key, given the world's chequered experience with carbon trading. Already critics are flagging concerns around the nascent biodiversity credit industry, not just greenwashing - but scaleability, distaste at the "commodification" of nature and the risk of distracting governments from their funding obligations. Johnston said the government hopes to develop "guardrails" by following the pilot projects' experience. Tree planting in QEII forest Photo: RNZ/Sally Round "Principles like transparency, so that the buyer knows exactly what they're buying; additionality, so that what they're buying is clearly an additional benefit from what would have happened otherwise; longevity, so that the action or the outcome will occur over a longish period of time." A central registry for the credits is something they will be considering too, he said. Weaver describes credits as a variation on philanthropy. "Are they commodifying nature? No, they're not. They're commodifying the human labour and technology cost to look after nature. So no nature is being traded in these credits." Johnston said biodiversity credits could work well for farmers and landowners working collaboratively, say, in catchment groups, to fund things like fencing and pest control. "One of the things I'm really keen we test is how you can do this in a way that is cost effective. "We know that examples of projects that are using international verification, for example, can be quite costly, and we want to find ways to make this an available tool in New Zealand for New Zealand circumstances." Weaver said the Ekos credits, which are tradeable, should not be seen as a goldrush, but essentially a form of sustainable financing. "Everybody in the value chain, in our programme has to make a profit, but nobody is allowed to make a super profit, like an unjustifiable super profit. "The main reason for that is that the end-user of biodiversity credits is buying a conservation outcome, and they want to be confident that they're funding the true cost of looking after the place, and not funding, you know, somebody's super profit that will help them just buy another yacht." "Projects still need to go out and hunt for buyers, and our system is a new net to go fishing for that money," Weaver said. [LI Read submissions and discussion paper on a biodiversity credit system for NZ here.
