Tasmanian swift parrot has been
listed as critically endangered, lifting its status from endangered
Date: May 6, 2016
Source: Australian National
University
The Australian Government has listed
the iconic Tasmanian swift parrot as critically endangered, lifting its status
from endangered, following research by The Australian National University
(ANU).
Dr Dejan Stojanovic from the ANU
Fenner School of Environment and Society is part of a team that published the
2015 research which found the swift parrot could be extinct in as little as 16
years.
He welcomed the reclassification,
which he said should provide greater protection for Tasmanian bird.
"The reclassification is a
major milestone for swift parrots and highlights the importance of finding a
solution to the extreme effects of sugar glider predation, and of protecting
their habitat," Dr Stojanovic said.
"It confirms that the severe
predation on swift parrots by sugar gliders is critical to whether their
population survives.
"The next goal for our
research group is to figure out what needs to happen to turn the swift parrot
trajectory around, because they are only one step from extinction."
In 2015, the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature raised the threat level of swift parrots in
response to the new evidence provided by ANU researchers.
ANU research predicted the
population of the birds will halve every four years, with a possible decline of
94.7 per cent over 16 years.
Professor Rob Heinsohn, also from
the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society, said groups such as
foresters, environmentalists and members of the public would be severely
affected if the birds became extinct.
"Swift parrots are major
pollinators of blue and black gum trees which are crucial to the Tasmanian
environment and economy including forestry and tourism," Professor
Heinsohn said.
"We congratulate the
Commonwealth for listening to the scientific evidence, and giving swift parrots
a fighting chance."
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