Welcome to my first end of year wrap up! In September, our previous National Coordinator, Dr Dani Teixeira moved on from the National Malleefowl Recovery Group to take on a full-time research position. Dani did a fantastic job in this role, and I am extremely excited to be in the position and working with everyone in the Malleefowl community and the excellent team here at the NMRG. Like a newly emerged Malleefowl chick, I will try to keep this short and sweet!
Stating the obvious, it has been another incredibly challenging year with rapidly changing coronavirus situations forcing recovery groups once again to be highly adaptable and flexible in how we all manage our volunteers and monitoring programs. Many face-to-face interactions had to be canceled and where feasible online sessions replacing them. I really want to applaud the passion and commitment of everyone working for Malleefowl that these obstacles were met and overcome with such good spirit. The fact that in the face of all these challenges a monitoring season is still progressing across the southern states is a testament to the hard work ethic, and passion for citizen science our volunteers hold. So, I thank you all! The invaluable data allowed us to produce our annual reports for the federal government and our NRM partners. Work also continues with the National Malleefowl Recovery Team on updating the recovery plan, a significant and essential piece of work.
Our friends at NACC in Western Australia hosted the 2021 National Malleefowl & WA Threatened Species Forum from the 6th to the 10th of September in Geraldton. I and others from the NMRG team were incredibly disappointed (as I am sure were many people in the eastern states) to not be able to attend in person due to border restrictions. Nonetheless, with some clever work from the NACC team we were able to attend virtually and deliver our presentations online. While there is no comparison for meeting in person – or attending the fabulous-looking field trips! - it was greatly appreciated the NACC team were able to put this in place, also allowing us to watch the other presenters’ presentations.
A hugely exciting translocation project was approved and is now underway in the NSW Riverina. The project is being led by local landholders, the Riverina Local Land Services and the NMRG. The aim is to improve malleefowl conservation in the Riverina in New South Wales by reintroducing the species to a site within its former range and assisting the dispersal and genetic diversity, thereby increasing its distribution. This project is the first to incubate eggs and immediately reintroduce malleefowl chicks to a fenced sanctuary (in an area where malleefowl had become extinct) where predators are actively controlled. We sincerely hope the findings provide a framework upon which future reintroduction projects could be based, particularly in areas that have become fragmented.
You may have seen us popping up more in your various social media feeds, thanks to our social media and communications whiz, Nico! Nico has been doing a fantastic job of helping to spread the word about the amazing Malleefowl we all love dearly. Additionally, we have increased the number of items available in our online shop. Purchasing merchandise from the shop really helps us to continue what we are doing and supports the ongoing conservation of these wonderful birds.
I will finish by once again thanking everyone working for the conservation of Malleefowl, and to each and every person involved in the national monitoring program; your dedication and commitment is second to none! Thanks also to the great team at the NMRG – Graeme, Liz, Joe, Jody, Tanya and Nico.
Have a lovely Christmas and New Year,
Michael
Mound in Riverland Conservation Park active for the first time in 27 years Rowena Danks (on behalf of Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board)
It can be disheartening monitoring mounds year after year that look non-existent. Walking through the scrub to find no sign of activity at that mound again, you could be forgiven for losing hope and wondering if the birds are still persisting in the area. This year we are extremely excited to report that an active mound in the Riverland, South Australia is being worked for the first time since 1994
With the usual vagaries a malleefowl grid is exposed to, there had been no activity recorded at the grid since 2004. Since this time, more dry seasons and a wildfire in the conservation park in 2007 had made it challenging for malleefowl in the area.
During the annual monitoring early in December this year, we were very surprised to find a newly active mound with fresh leaf litter and fresh activity that day. There had recently been much welcomed rains in the Riverland.
On the way home Graeme Tonkin checked the database to confirm the last recorded activity for this mound was in 1994. A series of photos (below) shows the changes in this mound since last season (2020).
This grid was monitored for many years by the Friends of Riverland Parks volunteer group and in more recent years by Graham Frahn, Peter Haines and Robert Norman. The efforts of these volunteers were not in vain. It’s a great reminder that the monitoring being undertaken is important even when the mounds appear to be permanently abandoned.
2020 monitoring photo showing a very unused mound.
New mound activity 3/12/21
Volunteer Robert Norman at the mound 20/12/21.
Photo: Peter Haines
Social media post of the month A Malleefowl chick emerging from the mound. Click on the image below to watch the video.
Do you have a malleefowl story to share? We'd love to hear from you and include a write up in the next edition of Around The Mounds. Please get in touch with us at nico@nationalmalleefowl.com.au
Volunteering for Malleefowl
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