birding-aus
Hi everyone,
I hope this does not breech list protocol, for that is not my intention,
but I feel many people on the list will be interested and may not hear
about the "Save the Bilby Fund" through other media.
The Save the Bilby Fund is an important conservation initiative that is
to be launched on Sunday 28 March 1999. This initiative involves the
launching of a public appeal to raise money for the Save the Bilby Fund
with details and fund updates being provided by Ian MacNamara on ABC
radio's Australia All Over program on Sunday Morning.
The appeal aims to raise $300 000 to erect a predator proof fence app 2
meters high enclosing 25 square kilometers into which bilbies will be
released free from the impacts of feral predators and grazing.
Why is this important? The endangered Bilby has disappeared from app
90% of its former range in Qld and is now restricted to app 100 000
square kilometers between Birdsville and Boulia, with an estimated 1000
animals left in the wild in Qld. The enclosure would result in a second
"wild" population of bilbies in Qld remote from the Birdsville/Boulia
populations. People lucky enough to have visited the area where the
bilbies hangout would know that bilbies are good mates with other well
known arid specialities such as letter-winged kites, plains wanderers,
yellow chats, gibber chats, flock bronzewings, inland dotterels
long-haired rats, kowaris, inland taipans amd more.
Why should this be of particular interest to Birding Aus members? Well
the enclosure is to be constructed on Currawinya National Park in
South-west Qld. Currawinya is well known in the bird watching community
for its arid zone woodland and shrubland birds and for its amazing
wetlands and associated biota.
The fund asks people or groups of people to donate $20 (more if you
like) which will fund one panel of the fence, 15 000 people should do
the job nicely. People donating money will be recognised and thanked
via a series of small plaques attached to the fence as well as in a
leather bound book permanently housed at the Currawinya NP visitor
center.
Again I hope members feel such a message is appropriate for the list.
Given the relationship with bird watchers and Currawinya NP and the
plight of one of the Country's truly amazing treasures which is in
danger of extinction, I think it will be of interest to most people.
If you are interested in the fund please listen to Australia All Over on
Sunday or you can send donations to;
Save the Bilby Fund
PO Box 149
Charleville Qld 4470
or phone a friendly bilbyphile on Sunday morning until mid-day on 07
4654 1255.
or you can contact me direct if you would like further information.
cheers
--
+----------------------------------------+
Colin Dollery
Natural Resource Ranger
Qld Dept of Environment and Heritage
Charleville District Office
Tel: (07)4654 1255 Fax: (07) 4654 1418
E-mail:
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