Lessons learnt from 19 years of managing Australian white ibis

Transcription

1 Lessons learnt from 19 years of managing Australian white ibis Australian Aviation Wildlife Hazard Group November 2015

2 Overview Australian white ibis friend or foe On- versus off-airport Integrated management Management strategies for Australian white ibis 19 years... what s been accomplished

3 Australian white ibis friend or foe 1 of 3 native ibis in Australia Protected species Generalist Figure Distribution map for Australian white ibis. Source: Atlas of Living Australia (accessed 2014).

4 Australian white ibis friend or foe Natural habitat wetlands Hundreds to thousands in one colony Nests between July and March Breeding pair usually produce one or two young per year Naturally semi-nomadic

5 Australian white ibis friend or foe Qantas estimated that a 1995 Airbus A300 bird strike involving a 2 kg ibis at Gold Coast Airport cost the company $8 million. This included engine replacement, downtime and schedule changes (Learmount 2007).

6 Australian white ibis friend or foe

7 Australian white ibis friend or foe Populations will grow exponentially until a limiting resource is exhausted. Average population growth rate of 1.5% results in doubling population in approximately 50 years. Without ongoing management the Gold/Tweed Coast ibis population would have continued to increase. 1996/97 population (3,755) ibis to 5,060 in 1997/98. Source: Pierre Sutherland -

8 On- versus off-airport

9 On- versus off-airport

10 Integrated management Development of the Ibis Management Coordination Group (IMCG) What did (and do) we hope to accomplish? State government Wildlife Parks Councils Conservation groups Airport IMCG Airlines

11 Management strategies Restricting access to anthropogenic food sources Restricting breeding success Vegetation management Monitoring Regional ibis management Research

12 Restricting anthropogenic food sources

13 Restricting anthropogenic food sources

14 Restricting anthropogenic food sources

15 Restricting anthropogenic food sources

16 Breeding restriction

17 Breeding restriction

18 Breeding restriction

19 Vegetation management

20 Monitoring Roost counts Landfill counts Foraging surveys Annual census including aerial survey

21 Regional ibis management

22 Regional ibis management

23 Regional ibis management

24 Research

25 Research

26 19 years what s been accomplished The regional ibis population index for the Southern IMCG Region is displayed for 1996/ /15. The green shading represents the target ibis population for the region. The pink shading represents population levels outside of the target range.

27 19 years what s been accomplished

28 Total Ibis 19 years what s been accomplished Regional Ibis Population Index BCC MBRC RCC LCC SCRC

29 Case study Bundaberg Before After Bundaberg Botanic Gardens prior to ibis management, October 2006 Bundaberg Botanic Gardens after six months of ibis management, January 2008

30 Before Case study Redlands Ibis management at the Black Swamp in Redland City dramatically improved the surrounding environment After

31 Why has it been successful and continued for 19 years? Managing ibis and people Evaluation and adaptive management Participation Leadership

32 Managing ibis and people

33 Evaluation and adaptive management

34 Participation Southern IMCG City of Gold Coast Gold Coast Airport Tweed Shire Council Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service Palazzo Versace Dreamworld Movie World Ashmore Palms Holiday Village Qantas Virgin Jetstar Northern IMCG Brisbane City Council Redland City Council Logan City Council Brisbane Airport Corporation Sunshine Coast Regional Council Moreton Bay Regional Council University of Queensland Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Qantas Virgin Jetstar

35 Leadership We proudly claim the ibis program to be one of the most successful wildlife management programs of its kind in the world. I put that down to a consensus based approach involving all relevant stakeholders, and to sheer persistence. It s not easy keeping things like this going for 19 years...you need to bring people along for the ride so that they become part of the solution, not add to the problem.

36 2016 Celebrating 20 years of ibis management

37 Acknowledgements

38 Questions