14 August 2015

Beak & feather disease urgent strategic response

The following is a communique published by Gregory Andrews, Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner, on June 12, 2015. 


Orange-bellied parrot urgent strategic response workshop
Agreed chair’s summary

Today I had the honour to chair a group of 21 of Australias key experts on the Orange-bellied Parrot who came together at Melbourne Zoo and unanimously agreed on a high-level urgent strategic response to the outbreak of beak and feather disease affecting this critically endangered bird.  These people, with over 212 years of collective experience working on this bird, included members of the Recovery Team, BirdLife Australia, Friends of the Orange-bellied Parrot, Tasmanian, Victorian, South Australian and federal governments, key scientists from the university sector, captive breeders, avian experts, virologists, animal disease specialists and zoos.
Minister Hunt asked me, as the Threatened Species Commissioner, to lead this emergency response workshop to address the beak and feather disease outbreak and backed the Australian Governments commitment to the Orange-bellied Parrot with an announcement of a $525,000 injection into its recovery program.  The Tasmanian Government made a co-contribution of over $800,000.  In the morning, Tasmania shared details on the latest developments and key scientists outlined risks and opportunities associated with the disease.  After this, we worked collaboratively to agree on a strategic response with four approaches to keep the bird alive in the wild by focusing on:
1.     Boosting the captive breeding and release program
2.     Adjusting management practices in its habitat and in the captive breeding facilities
3.     Investing in more science to better understand the disease and its effects on the parrot
4.     Improving governance, and working and communicating together
This urgent strategic response will be implemented consistently with the existing draft orange-bellied parrot recovery plan, which is the overarching policy document for the birds recovery and protection for extinction. 
The group is 100 per cent united in its commitment to work together according to the principles of science, action and partnership to implement this urgent strategic response which we are confident will help the parrot through the current beak and feather disease challenge.  Importantly, the group is also committed to working collaboratively over the longer-term to do everything possible to save the Orange-bellied Parrot from extinction in the wild.  As one of Australias, and indeed the worlds most endangered species, the Orange-bellied Parrot deserves no less. 
Over the next two weeks, the participating organisations at the workshop agreed to nut out actions and commitments in the urgent strategic response over one, two, three, six and twelve month timeframes and for the response to be reviewed in three months my office will be coordinating this.  The Strategic Action Planning Group of the orange-bellied parrot recovery team will be the coordination point for this response and will be assisted by my office.


Gregory Andrews
Threatened Species Commissioner

12 June 2015



High-level urgent strategic response 12 June 2015 - 12 June 2016

1.      Boosting the captive and wild population
  Wild population (innovative techniques)
  Captive population

2. Adjusting management practices
  Best practice nest management
  Managing predator and competitor impacts
  Best practice feeding
  Best veterinary practice and biosecurity
  Food and habitat adequacy

3. Boosting science and understanding
  Disease risk analysis
  Passive and active vaccination
  Genetic tools for management
  Feasibility of second wild population
  Understanding broader threats and survival and reproduction
  Finding and monitoring every nest/OBP

4. Improving governance, communication and working together
  Response coordination
  Leadership and decision making
  Better information sharing
  Skills gap assessment

  Finalise and implement the broader Recovery Plan

16 July 2015

How can I help?

It's easy to feel discouraged - even hopeless - about the Orange-bellied Parrot. While the birds are facing some tough obstacles, they're still thriving in captivity, and are still out there in the wild. Many fine people are working hard to save them.

There are a range of things you can do to help, too. Here's how.

Volunteer for the winter surveys
Up to 100 people search dozens of sites every winter, looking for these small, bright but elusive birds. It's crucial to find where they spend winters so we can understand their habitat needs and help keep them safe.

The next surveys are this month over the weekend July 25/26, and the weekend September 12/13.

Expect to scour coastal saltmarsh, paddocks and other habitat. Experienced birdwatchers will lead less experienced folk.

Click on this link to BirdLife Australia's Orange-bellied Parrot winter survey page and contact your local regional coordinator. Surveys take about 2-3 hours and are conducted across coastal Victoria, South Australia and north-west Tasmania.

Donate
Save the Orange-bellied Parrot raises money to help BirdLife Australia fund winter survey coordination. Our fundraising page is part of Givematcher, which enables donors to have their money 'matched' by companies. This can double your donation!

BirdLife Australia is a registered charity so donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

Save the Orange-bellied Parrot's Givematcher page is here.

Buy things to wear & use
Save the Orange-bellied Parrot has a line of t-shirts, hoodies, sweaters and stickers, as well as homewears and phone/laptop covers here. Money raised goes towards OBP conservation.

Save the Orange-bellied Parrot has its own e-commerce store on Facebook. At present, we are selling our popular lapel pins, which make great birthday presents.


Buy one, two or three at our shop.

Talk about them
Most importantly, if you want to help Orange-bellied Parrots, you can do them a favour by talking about them with your friends and family.

Inform yourself, read our Facebook posts and check reputable sites such as BirdLife Australia's OBP Page. By bringing awareness to these birds, we can help the public understand why it's so important that they be saved. 

We can all help save the Orange-bellied Parrot.