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Protecting Our Wildlife

Bass Coast Shire Council and Phillip Island Nature Parks have joined forces to help protect the Shearwater Colonies on Phillip Island.

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 11th December 2009 - Back to News

At the October Meeting, Council agreed to support a trial in Cape Woolamai to try and decrease the number of birds killed on the roads during the breeding season.

Council’s Environment Manager, Paul Smith, said a large number of birds were killed on Phillip Island each year.

"The Short-tailed Shearwater, also known as Mutton Birds, migrates from Alaska to breed on Phillip Island each year," explained Mr Smith.

"Phillip Island is home to approximately 1 million Shearwaters, about one eighth of the world’s total Shearwater population, and is critical to the birds’ breeding success.

"The biggest colony is located at Cape Woolamai and many young Shearwaters are killed when they are run over," said Mr Smith.

"The number is increasing every year. In 2009, 119 birds were rescued from the road and 67 were killed."

The trial involves erecting "Care for our wildlife" signs and blue hatched line marking to create a visible conservation zone on a section of Woolamai Beach Road, south of The Cranny.

Phillip Island Nature Parks’ Environment Manager, Richard Dakin, said he hoped the new signage would increase driver awareness around the issue.

"The Cranny area is a known hotspot for wildlife kills and last summer on the Australia Day long weekend, 36 Short-tailed Shearwaters were hit by vehicles in this small stretch of road," said Mr Dakin.

"We hope this trial is very successful and reduces road kill at the gateway to the Cape Woolamai Reserve.

"We also ask all residents to keep a look out for Shearwaters on the road at night at key areas including The Esplanade at Surf Beach, and the entrance to the Penguin Parade."

Mr Smith said the local community was extremely concerned about the amount of road kill and the number of dead birds on the road also created a safety issue.

"Drivers swerve to miss the birds or people are coming out onto a busy road trying to rescue them when they are injured," explained Mr Smith.

"The Nature Park has a program of volunteers who are trained on how to collect injured birds and they work with a traffic management plan to ensure they are not at risk."

Council and the Phillip Island Nature Parks will share the $1,800 cost of implementing the trial. The trial will be reviewed in June 2010, to gauge its effectiveness.


Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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